The world's first malarial vaccine was approved by health officials in Europe on Friday, July 24.

The malarial vaccine, Mosquirix, is developed by Dr. Moncef Slaoui and his team at GlaxoSmithKline after three decades of rigorous efforts. The vaccine backed by Bill Gates will be given to children in sub-Saharan Africa in the near future since the malarial parasite killed 600,000 people among 2 million people affected by the disease in 2013, according to CBS News.

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The vaccine should to be examined by the World Health Organization as well as approved by the concerned countries before it is administered to children. It was observed in the trials that the vaccine is effective in newborns aged between five and 17 months as it promises 50 percent success rate. As far as younger children are concerned the success rate of the vaccine is only 27 percent, according to the the trial results, reported CNN.   

"I believe it's enormous," said Slaoui. "This is the first-ever vaccine against a human parasite," "I cried -- it's very personal," he said. "Hundreds of thousands of children in sub-Saharan Africa will be changed. I feel that for them and for their parents. I can't wait to see this vaccine given to children. I will be there," added Slaoui.

The vaccine is given in three doses for three consecutive months and a booster dose is given after one and a half years. The vaccine inside the body stops the malarial parasite from maturing and multiplying in the liver before it enters the blood stream and infects the system completely.

"Today marks a significant scientific milestone for the long-standing partnership to develop a vaccine, yet several more steps remain before a malaria vaccine might reach the young children in Africa who most need protection against this deadly human parasite," said Steve Davis, president and CEO of PATH, according to BBC.

Prof Adrian Hill of the Jenner Institute, Oxford, said that he is much pleased about EMA's decision and also added that he cannot consider the vaccine as a "magic bullet." He also added that though a bed net would be more effective than this vaccine it is a significant achievement and a building block for a better vaccine. 

TagsMalarial vaccine, Malaria, Mosquirix, Bill Gates, GlaxoSmithKline