Starting but Not Finishing: The Malaria Vaccine Challenge in South Sudan – Findings from the Malaria Vaccine Post-Introduction Evaluation (PIE) (October 2026)

Please refer to the attached file. Why Malaria Vaccination Matters Malaria remains one of the leading causes of illness and death among children under five in South Sudan. To strengthen protection against severe malaria, the country introduced the malaria vaccine in 28 counties in July 2024 and expanded it nationwide to all 80 counties by August 2025. The vaccine is delivered in four doses at 5, 6, 7 and 18 months of age and complements existing malaria prevention interventions, including insecticide-treated nets and intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy (IPTp). The fourth dose is delivered alongside the second dose of measles-containing vaccine (MCV2), creating an opportunity to strengthen immunization services during the second year of life. The Post Introduction Evaluation (PIE) assessed how well the vaccine has been integrated into routine immunization services and identified opportunities to improve vaccination completion, service delivery, data quality, and equitable access. This factsheet summarizes findings from the Post Introduction Evaluation and highlights opportunities to improve completion of the four-dose malaria vaccine schedule, particularly for children in the second year of life.

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