By Modupe Gbadeyanka

The government of Burundi has taken a critical step towards reducing malaria cases and saving thousands of children’s lives with the introduction of the malaria vaccine into its routine immunization programme.

This followed the arrival of 544,000 doses of malaria vaccines in Burundi in January and the approval of the RTS,S malaria vaccine by ABREMA (Autorité Burundaise de Régulation des Médicaments à usage humain et des Aliments).

The inclusion of the vaccine was made possible with the collaborations of the Ministry of Health, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi), UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO), and Dalberg.

At a ceremony on Monday to announce this development, the First Lady of Burundi, Mrs Angeline Ndayishimiye, commended the organisations for supporting her husband’s government to fight malaria in the country.

Malaria remains a major public health concern in Burundi and one of the country’s top health priorities. Malaria is endemic, with two annual peaks (April-May and June) resulting in high transmission levels in some districts.

The latest data from the National Health Information System (SNIS) showed that malaria remains one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality, with an incidence of 399.1 per 1,000 inhabitants in 2023.

Data analysis revealed that malaria accounted for 20.9 per cent of consultations in 2023 and 59.4 per cent of hospital deaths in 2021.

In Burundi, children under the age of five are the population category most vulnerable to malaria. Of the 4,857,556 malaria cases reported in 2023, children under five accounted for 2,235,481 cases, representing 46 per cent of malaria morbidity.

For this reason, as a key partner, UNICEF is committed to ensuring that every child, especially the most vulnerable, has access to this critical vaccine, alongside other essential health services, to give them a healthier start in life.

“Today marks a significant milestone as we introduce the malaria vaccine in Burundi. This initiative reflects our strong and unwavering commitment to malaria control by combining high-impact strategic interventions and our collective determination to protect our children’s lives.

“By focusing on reducing malaria mortality in children under five, we are taking a critical step towards ensuring a healthier and brighter future for the next generation. This vaccine introduction also brings us closer to a future where no child is lost to this preventable disease. We are paving the way for a malaria-free Burundi,” said Dr Lydwine Baradahana, Minister of Public Health and AIDS Prevention.

“Today, Burundi joins the list of 17 other countries on the African continent to have introduced malaria vaccine into routine immunization with Gavi support.

“Given the devastating impact of malaria, this is a development that will save thousands of young lives, offer relief to families and lessen the burden currently placed on the country’s health system,” the Senior Country Manager for Burundi at Gavi, Mario Jimenez, stated.

UNICEF Representative in Burundi, France Bégin, said, “Every child has the right to grow up healthy and protected from preventable diseases like malaria. The introduction of the malaria vaccine is a historic step, bringing new hope to families in Burundi.”

WHO representative in Burundi, Dr Xavier Crespin, remarked that, “Malaria is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Burundi, especially among children.

“With the measures already taken by the government such as Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine chemoprevention, the distribution of impregnated mosquito nets and indoor spraying, and now the introduction of malaria vaccination in children aged 6 to 18 months as recommended by the WHO,

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

About 10,000 primary school pupils have been enrolled by the Oyo State government for its healthcare insurance programme as part of efforts towards ensuring the children are of sound minds.

The beneficiaries were chosen from 90 schools across 18 local government areas of the state, and were presented their insurance scheme ID cards on Thursday at the Ibadan Civic Centre, Idi-ape, Ibadan, by the Deputy Governor, Mr Bayo Lawal.

He applauded the partnership and collaboration between the Oyo State Health Insurance Agency (OYSHIA) and the Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board (OYOSUBEB) in providing healthcare opportunities to public school children in the state.

“This scheme will ensure that our children have sound minds, while they learn in conducive environments.

“This event is a collective effort in securing a brighter future of Oyo State pupils,” the deputy governor said.

Mr Lawal also charged OYSHIA to double its efforts in extending the scheme to every school in the State, urging parents and guardians to key into the scheme.

In her goodwill message, the Chief of UNICEF in the Lagos Field Office, Ms Celine Lafoucriere, noted that the launch of the Oyo State Public Primary School Pupils Health Insurance Scheme would give access to affordable, quality healthcare; a fundamental right for every child.

“This initiative reinforces our collective commitment to universal health coverage, ensuring that no child faces financial obstacles to accessing healthcare.

“Universal health coverage is more than a healthcare goal—it’s a social and economic necessity. When children have access to healthcare, they can focus on education, grow into productive adults, break the cycle of poverty, and contribute to the success of Oyo State and Nigeria.

“This scheme exemplifies this by focusing on public primary school children, especially in hard-to-reach areas. With 90 schools already enrolled across 18 LGAs, our goal is to ensure all 33 LGAs in Oyo state are covered, leaving no child behind.

“UNICEF remains steadfast in supporting the government and communities toward universal health coverage,” she stated.

On her part, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, applauded OYSHIA and OYOSUBEB for their commitment towards healthy basic school pupils, assuring them of her Ministry’s unparalleled commitment to the scheme.

Also speaking, the Chairman of OYOSUBEB, Mr Nureni Aderemi Adeniran, applauded OYSHIA, pledging the board’s commitment to the smooth take-off and sustainability of the scheme.

“At OYOSUBEB, we operate on the principle of taking care of the pupils under our care as though they are ours,” he said, adding that the scheme would enable the beneficiaries to receive quality healthcare without paying exorbitantly to access it.

Earlier, the Executive Secretary of OYSHIA, Dr Olusola Akande, said the new door being opened today, is focusing on providing access to healthcare for 10,000 public primary school pupils in the first instance, noting that the agency will also commence an enrolment of additional 5,500 pupils into the scheme from next week.

He praised UNICEF, through whose support the agency has been able to improve on its awareness campaign and increased the communities under the Community Based Health Insurance scheme by 100 per cent.

He equally stressed the unparalleled commitment of SUBEB chairman to the scheme, stating, “His open door policy and unrestricted access ensured we were able to keep to our timeline.”

By Adedapo Adesanya

A venture capital fund focused on consumer health startups that are reshaping the future of healthcare, naturalX Health Ventures has announced a €100 million fund to accelerate this revolution in Europe.

This makes the fund the first specialized fund focused exclusively on the intersection of consumer and health in the European market.

The fund will focus primarily on Series-A investments while remaining flexible to participate in late Seed and Series-B rounds. Typical first investments range from €3-5 million, with up to €10 million available per company.

To companies, naturalX can act as either lead investor or co-investor, targeting consumer health startups across Europe with selected investments in North America.

naturalX was founded by Mr Marvin Amberg, a German serial entrepreneur with experience launching consumer and health startups, in cooperation with Schwabe Group, a global leader in plant-based pharmaceuticals. The fund defines consumer health as the intersection of wellness and medicine, where science-backed products and services put the consumer in focus.

During its 18-month ramp-up phase, naturalX has already made several investments, including mybacs, Flow Neuroscience, Kyan Health, and Meela, while also investing in healthcare-focused VC funds to build a strong ecosystem around their thesis.

Speaking on the development, the founder of the firm, Mr Marvin Amberh “I am very excited to double down on our thesis with the official launch of naturalX. The consumer health space has been overlooked by investors.”

“We see an inflection point in Europe now, as consumers are finally taking more charge of their own health. Startups in the space need a partner with a shared vision,” he added.

The fund’s launch comes at a pivotal moment in consumer health after the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated consumers focus on proactive health management, further boosted by easier access to data through technology, including AI.

naturalX targets solutions across proactive health, including sleep, gut health, prevention, and longevity. The fund also places special emphasis on mental health, recognizing the growing need for consumer-centric therapeutic solutions in this underserved area.

The investment strategy bridges Schwabe Group’s deep pharmaceutical expertise with modern digital health innovation.

“We analysed the US health market and in many successful startups, the consumer is already at the centre. Our thesis is that this is just the beginning, and the European market will develop in a similar pattern. While we start to see some examples of consumer-focused healthcare companies in Europe reaching meaningful scale and significant funding, such as Oura or Neko Health, we think this market deserves more attention,” added Mr Amberg.

“naturalX led our Series-A round and has been an exceptional partner, bringing not only capital but also invaluable knowledge of the nutritional supplement and broader consumer health market. Their pragmatic, fast decision-making allows us to focus on growing our business,” said Mr Carl-Philipp von Polheim, Founder of mybacs, a leading DTC probiotic subscription startup.

“At Kyan Health, we are dedicated to proactive mental health management—empowering individuals before issues escalate. naturalX shares this vision, recognizing that prevention is key to lasting impact. Their deep expertise and strategic approach make them an ideal partner in driving meaningful change for millions,” said Mr Vlad Gheorghiu, Founder of Kyan Health, a leading mental health platform for employees.