📅 1st October 2025
📍 Dioïla District, Mali
👥 Participants enrolled in the IMVACS study to date: 28,096

Here in the Dioïla district, the third round of integrated SMC and R-21 vaccine administration wrapped up just few days ago, from September 11th to 14th.
The team worked tirelessly to reach as many children as possible during those days.

Now, all eyes are on the upcoming fourth round, scheduled from October 9th to 13th.
This final round is a decisive last effort — reaching every child who missed one or more of their three primary R-21 doses, along with newly eligible children — making sure no one is left unprotected in this hard battle against malaria.

This year brings a big change in Mali: the SMC campaign is leaving behind door-to-door visits and moving to fixed vaccination sites. No more knocking on every door… caregivers now have to travel a bit farther and step outside the safety of their homes with their children.

Always on move as well, community health workers and field team travel by off-road vehicles or, more often, motorcycles and bicycles to reach remote villages scattered across the entire district.
These agile vehicles navigate narrow, winding trails through dense vegetation, enabling them to reach their little patients wherever they are.

Their deep dedication, combined with the hope and trust of the community, is lighting the path toward a future where malaria no longer threatens the youngest lives — not just in Mali, but across the entire African continent.