NTV Uganda reports that health workers are concerned about low uptake of malaria vaccine (reported in MalariaWorld). In the report, available on YouTube, Dr Myers Lugemwa, head of the Malaria Control Programme at the Health Ministry, attributes the low turnout for the vaccine to a lack of public awareness.
Dr Lugemwa reported that when launched in April there was 80% uptake of first dose. This fell to 65% for the second dose in May and fell to a worryingly low level by dose three. He complained that the vaccine had cost $2-4 per dose and it was a waste that people were not taking it.
Perhaps the parents of the children dosed had reasons not to go back for the later doses of the R21 four dose regime. The vaccination scheme was launched by the Ugandan government with the Gates foundation earlier this year. In one of the first Understanding Malaria columns it was reported that R21 Vaccine is less toxic and ineffective than a Rabies Vaccine. R21 was not tested against a true placebo. Perhaps many of the recipients of the vaccine suffered side effects and for this reason their mothers did not bring them back for more?