A year on, baby Jehiel healthy and well vaccinated
One year after the introduction of the anti-malaria vaccine in the Central African Republic, over 70,000 children have been immunized, including the pioneer Jehiel
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A year ago, at the early age of 9 months, baby Jehiel Dekara became something close to a celebrity. He was the first child in the Central African Republic to receive the newly introduced anti-malaria vaccine, on 22 August 2024.
That day, as he sat at his mother’s lap, he received his shot from the Minister of Health, Dr. Pierre Somse. Even President Faustin Archange Touadera, who a few minutes earlier had officially launched the vaccine in a public ceremony, came to greet him.
His mother, Manuella Koyangba, 18, found herself in front of the photographers and cameramen struggling to take a good close-up image. It was a day of being the celebrity, albeit one with a prominently displayed vaccination card for her infant.
The year since has had its share of ups and downs.
“In December, a strong torrential rain destroyed our house. I could hardly save some few belongings. When we moved to our new place, I realised that I had lost the child’s vaccination card. I was so worried”
Recently, Manuella’s father inquired about his grandson’s immunization progress. When he heard that the card was lost, he brought her daughter and baby Jehiel to the health centre of Ouango, the main facility in Bangui’s 7th district, where the family lives. The nurses checked the records. Nothing to worry about for Manuella. She received a new card, with all updated data, and they told her that her child could receive the second dose immediately.
It was just a coincidence that it was exactly one year after he had received the first dose. Sitting at the consultation room, Manuella heard good advice given by Dr. Agnes Griyama, head of the dispensary. She insisted that, although baby Jehiel is now over 16 months of age, he could still catch up with the vaccination routine. Her words reassured her. Then, she joined the other mothers who came their babies for immunisation. Jehiel received the vaccines against measles, meningitis, as well as the second dose of the anti-malaria vaccine.
The Central African Republic was the second country in Africa, after Cote d’Ivoire[JJ1] , to introduce the anti-malaria R21 vaccine, recommended by the World Health Organization. It was incorporated to the routine vaccination programme, distributed in four doses for children between six and sixteen months of age. According to data from the World health Organisation, as of August 2025, 21 African countries had introduced the new vaccine.
As of 30 June 2025, the country had received a total of 207,100 doses of the R21/Matrix-M vaccine thanks to financial support from GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance. UNICEF and the Ministry of Health and Population coordinated their distribution across the country's 35 health districts and health facilities, where 88,500 doses have been distributed to date.
One year after the introduction of the vaccine, 70,698 children, aged between 6 and 16 months, have already been vaccinated.
But health practitioners insist on not letting down the guard. Malaria is still the first cause of mortality in CAR among children under five years of age.
Manuella became a mother at the age of 17. Last year, he decided to return to secondary school, where she enrolled in her third year. She lives with Jehiel’s father, who earns a living transporting sand from the river Oubangui, a business that these days has a lot of customers who seek local building materials.
Her father has always kept an eye on her. The fact that she went out of his way to make sure that her daughter got a new vaccination card and that his grandson complies with the immunization calendar is a sign that people in CAR are increasingly conscious of the importance of not leaving any child behind.
“Now your child has received two doses. Don’t forget to come for the third two months from now, on 22nd October, says the nurse as she writes the new date on her card.
Jehiel, who doesn’t like needles, cried aloud few minutes ago. Now, he walks confidently around the compound before her mother reaches out for him to take him back home.
“I am very happy to see my child healthy. I know that this vaccine shall help him grow even healthier,” says Manuella.
