YAOUNDE — Cameroon reported increased coverage for the RTS,S malaria vaccine across multiple doses from 2024 to 2025, according to the National Malaria Control Program. First-dose coverage rose from 66% in 2024 to 68% in 2025, while second-dose coverage increased from 53% to 58% over the same period.

Third-dose coverage saw the largest gain, rising from 48% in 2024 to 59% in 2025. Coverage for the fourth dose of the malaria vaccine stood at 25% as of 2025. Cameroon introduced the malaria vaccine in 42 high-burden districts.

Dr. Bomba Amougou, head of prevention at the National Malaria Control Program, addressed the lower fourth-dose figures. "Parents and even health workers sometimes forget the fourth dose, particularly as it is administered long after the third, and because this is a relatively new vaccine," Dr. Bomba Amougou said.

Dr. Bomba Amougou emphasized the importance of completing the full vaccination schedule. "Receiving all four makes the protection more potent," he said.

Gavi Chief Executive Officer Sania Nishtar noted broader trends in malaria vaccine adoption. Sania Nishtar stated there is huge demand for the malaria vaccine from governments and communities. Nearly 40% of Cameroon's population lives in poverty, according to official figures.

The RTS,S malaria vaccine program in Cameroon targets 42 high-burden districts, reflecting the country's efforts to combat a disease that disproportionately affects vulnerable populations. The increases in first, second, and third-dose coverage from 2024 to 2025 indicate progress in vaccine delivery infrastructure. The 25% coverage rate for the fourth dose shows ongoing challenges in ensuring complete immunization schedules, particularly when doses are spaced over extended periods.

Cameroon's poverty rate of nearly 40% reflects the public health context in which the malaria vaccine program operates. The demand for the vaccine noted by Gavi's CEO reflects a pattern seen across multiple African nations where malaria remains a leading cause of illness and death. The program's results provide data points for evaluating vaccine rollout strategies in high-burden settings.