Last week, the World Health Organization (WHO) approved the world’s first vaccine against malaria – ‘RTS,S’, known by its brand name Mosquirix. The vaccine, which is to be administered to those under age of 5, is the result of more than 30 years of research and development. But what took so long to develop it? How effective is it? And what does it mean for India?

In this episode, Dr V S Chauhan, who is known for his efforts to develop a recombinant malaria vaccine, joins us to answer these questions and talk about the significance of this development.

And in the end, Indian Express’ Gargi Verma talks about how malaria impacts remote villages in Chhattisgarh, and the efforts of health care workers that have made a difference.

(Dr V S Chauhan is the former director of the Delhi-based International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biology, and has worked in the field of malaria for over three decades).