More Children to Benefit from Affordable Malaria Vaccines

A new agreement between Gavi and UNICEF will cut the price of a malaria vaccine by about 40%, potentially protecting one million more children and saving US$50 million for childhood immunisation programmes.

“This agreement is an important step towards protecting more children from malaria by expanding access to life-saving vaccines where they are needed most,” said Leila Pakkala, Director of UNICEF Supply Division, highlighting the importance of affordable immunisation.

The agreement will lower the price of the RTS,S/AS01 malaria vaccine to €5.50 per dose, generating an estimated US$50 million in savings between 2027 and 2029. The reduction, expected to take effect in early 2027 once regulatory and manufacturing requirements are met, could fund complete four-dose vaccinations for up to one million additional children or support other childhood immunisation programmes. Since malaria vaccine rollouts began in 2024, more than 74 million doses have been delivered, and Gavi-supported vaccination programmes have expanded into routine immunisation in 25 African countries representing over 70% of the global malaria burden. When administered seasonally alongside other preventive measures in areas with highly seasonal transmission, a full four-dose course can reduce malaria cases by approximately 75%. The lower price will support efforts to vaccinate 50 million more children against malaria by 2030, while transferring vaccine production to a developing-country manufacturer is expected to strengthen long-term supply and affordability.