Malaria Vaccine Awareness, Access, and Equity: Challenges and Solutions

Abstract

Malaria remains a critical public health issue, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, where it disproportionately affects vulnerable populations, including children under five. Despite promising breakthroughs, such as the World Health Organization (WHO)-approved RTS,S/AS01 malaria vaccine, challenges persist in vaccine awareness, access, and equitable distribution. This review examines current malaria vaccine implementation efforts, identifies systemic barriers, and highlights opportunities for enhancing uptake and equity. Key issues include inadequate community awareness, vaccine hesitancy, funding constraints, logistical limitations, and weak health infrastructure. Despite these barriers, innovative approaches such as scalable manufacturing, community engagement, and integrated delivery systems offer hope for achieving broader vaccine coverage. Addressing these challenges through multisectoral collaboration and targeted policy reform is essential for reducing malaria-related morbidity and mortality and progressing toward malaria elimination.