Equatorial Guinea Supports Malaria Vaccine Trial

President Obiang Visits Sanaria Facilities in Support of the Country's Fight Against Malaria

MALABO, Equatorial Guinea, Oct. 2, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Equatorial Guinea's President Obiang Nguema Mbasogo met with representatives of Sanaria Corporation in New York, last week to discuss progress on the upcoming malaria vaccine trial to take place in Equatorial Guinea. The president was in New York, to address the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and meet with several heads of government and heads of state.

Equatorial Guinea is the second country in Africa to sponsor a malaria vaccine clinical trial. President Obiang reaffirmed the government's commitment to fight the disease, which is endemic in West and Central Africa. The West African nation has partnered with Sanaria, Ifakara Health Institute (IHI), Marathon Equatorial Guinea Production Limited (MEGPL), Noble Energy, and Medical Care Development International (MCDI) for this vaccine trial.

Dr. Stephen Hoffman, President and founder of Sanaria, shared Sanaria's mission with President Obiang and explained in detail the development of the vaccine trial.

President Obiang and the Equatorial Guinea delegation visited Sanaria's laboratory, where they saw a demonstration of the production of the malaria vaccine (PfSPz) and witnessed the dissection to remove the sporozoites that cause malaria and are used to make the vaccine. They also observed the storage and cold chain transportation of the vaccine.

Marvin Rainsdon, MEGPL's general manager, expressed the research team's appreciation for the support and commitment that the Ministry of Mines, Industry and Energy, the Ministry of Health and Social Security, Marathon, Noble Energy, AMPCO and EGLN have contributed to the research of the vaccine.

Chris Schwabe, representing MCDI, an organization that manages the Malaria Control Program on the island of Bioko, shared the achievements the country has experienced in the last ten years, and explained that the vaccine trial's ultimate goal is to eliminate malaria in the next five years. This milestone research is part of the government's efforts to improve the country's public health.

About Equatorial Guinea

The Republic of Equatorial Guinea (República de Guinea Ecuatorial) is the only Spanish-speaking country in Africa, and one of the smallest nations on the continent. In the late-1990s, American companies helped discover the country's oil and natural gas resources, which only within the last five years began contributing to the global energy supply. Equatorial Guinea is now working to serve as a pillar of stability and security in its region of West Central Africa. The country hosted the 2011 Summit of the African Union. For more information, visit http://www.guineaecuatorialpress.com.

SOURCE Republic of Equatorial Guinea

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