Health workers in Ivory Coast began vaccinations on Monday against malaria, the leading cause of death of children in the country, as the government added the malaria vaccine to the list of routine vaccinations for children.

The West African country became the first to start rolling out the newest shot targeting malaria in an effort that aims to cover about 250,000 children under two.

“This decision shows the engagement of the government, who make it a point of honor to invest in the health of our children, our most precious treasures,” said Health Minister, Pierre Demba, at a ceremony to mark the launching of the vaccination campaign.

“We want to assure their protection and their well-being, because they are the future of our country,” he added.

The three-dose vaccine known as R21/Matrix-M was developed by Britain’s Oxford University and was authorised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) last October.