Historic decision: The WHO approved the first malaria vaccine

The use of the world's first malaria vaccine in Africa was approved by the World Health Organization on Wednesday, in a move that is expected to save the lives of tens of thousands of children who die each year from the disease across Africa.

Malaria, a disease known since antiquity, manifests itself with fever, headache, muscle aches, chills and sweating. Every two minutes a child dies from malaria somewhere in the world, according to the WHO.

"It is a historic moment. "The long-awaited vaccine for children is a revolutionary breakthrough in science, medicine and the fight against malaria," said Dr. Adanom Gebregesous, the organisation's director general. "Using this vaccine in combination with existing tools to prevent malaria could save tens of thousands of lives each year," he added.

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