BUJUMBURA, April 25 -- As the world marked World Malaria Day on Thursday, the Burundian government announced that an anti-malaria vaccine will be administered for the first time to children between the ages of six and 18 months, Burundi's health authorities said in a statement here.

Burundian Minister of Public Health and the Fight against AIDS Lyduine Baradahana said on Thursday that the vaccination will begin in eight of the 18 provinces in the East African country that are most affected by malaria.

"During the first quarter of 2022, 1,863,288 people tested positive for malaria, and during the same period in 2023, 982,863 people tested positive. The reduction in malaria cases was due to the mass distribution and use of mosquito nets before the end of 2022," said Baradahana.

According to her, malaria is "the first killer disease" in Burundi, adding that it killed at least 1,816 people in the country in 2023.

The minister advised beneficiaries of mosquito nets to make good use of them to avoid malaria infection and to report promptly to the community health agents or the nearest health structures, as malaria tests and anti-malaria drugs are available free of charge.

  - Xinhua