Project HOPE and AHRI Launch Initiative to Optimize Malaria Vaccine Rollout in Ethiopia
Project HOPE and Armauer Hansen Research Institute (AHRI) have launched the Malaria Vaccine Learning Documentation in Ethiopia (MAVILDE) project with funding from the Gates Foundation. MAVILDE will generate Ethiopia-specific evidence to support the Ministry of Health in optimizing the implementation and future expansion of the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine across the country.
The project comes at a pivotal moment as Ethiopia rolls out its malaria vaccination program in 57 high-burden districts across nine regions, with the goal of reducing child mortality while strengthening evidence-based decision-making for malaria control and elimination.
“Through MAVILDE, we are collaborating with the Ministry of Health with the locally generated evidence needed to guide strategic investments, optimize vaccine deployment, and accelerate progress toward malaria elimination,” said Dr. Frehiwot Nigatu, Senior Director of Programs at Project HOPE.
Evidence generated through MAVILDE will support critical Ministry of Health decisions, including prioritizing districts for vaccination, identifying areas requiring integrated malaria interventions, and optimizing the use of limited resources to maximize public health impact. Ultimately, the project aims to ensure that the R21/Matrix-M vaccine rollout is guided by robust local evidence and contributes to Ethiopia’s national goal of malaria elimination by 2030.
“The introduction of the R21/Matrix-M vaccine marks an important milestone in Ethiopia’s fight against malaria, but sustainable impact depends on generating local evidence that reflects the country’s unique epidemiological context,” said Alemseged Abdissa (PhD), Deputy Director General, AHRI.
Although malaria vaccines have demonstrated promising results elsewhere in sub-Saharan Africa, Ethiopia presents unique challenges, including diverse transmission patterns, the co-circulation of Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax, emerging insecticide and antimalarial drug resistance, and varying ecological settings. MAVILDE will generate the evidence needed to address these complexities and inform national policy.
To officially launch the initiative, AHRI and Project HOPE, in collaboration with Ethiopia’s Ministry of Health, convened a one-day stakeholder workshop in Addis Ababa. The workshop brought together government leaders, donors, researchers, implementing partners, and technical experts to align on the project’s evidence agenda and strengthen collaboration around Ethiopia’s malaria elimination strategy.
The project combines forward-looking Insilco modeling with real-world evidence generation to provide actionable recommendations for policymakers. The second phase will evaluate vaccine effectiveness, immune protection, and the durability of vaccine-induced immunity, helping inform future procurement, delivery strategies, and resource allocation.
Project HOPE has decades of experience partnering with governments to strengthen health systems, generating real-time evidence and improving disease prevention and response. Through MAVILDE, Project HOPE continues its commitment to supporting Ethiopia in building resilient, evidence-driven health systems that save lives and protect vulnerable communities.
