Gavi and UNICEF announce equitable pricing deal for malaria vaccine to protect 7 million more children by end of decade


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Gavi and UNICEF announce equitable pricing deal for malaria vaccine to protect 7 million more children by end of decade

  • Deal secures more accessible future price per dose, resulting in savings of up to US$90 million.
  • Savings expected to help secure 30 million additional doses, protecting up to 7 million more children with malaria vaccine.
  • Agreement executed by UNICEF is financially backed by Gavi and made possible through innovative financing tool IFFIm.

Geneva/New York/Copenhagen, 24 November 2025 – Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and UNICEF today announced a new agreement that will make the R21/Matrix-M™ malaria vaccines significantly more accessible and affordable, paving the way to protect more children from one of the world’s deadliest diseases.

The deal, backed by Gavi and executed by UNICEF, is expected to generate up to US$ 90 million in savings for Gavi and countries, equivalent to more than 30 million additional doses – enabling the full vaccination of nearly 7 million more children against malaria over the next five years. The deal is financed by Gavi through an advance payment enabled by the innovative International Finance Facility for Immunisation (IFFIm) mechanism.

The lower price of the vaccine – at US$ 2.99 per dose – is anticipated to take effect in approximately one year. The deal reflects a shared commitment by Gavi and UNICEF to shape a sustainable, competitive malaria vaccine market and to meet the Alliance’s target to fully vaccinate 50 million more children against malaria by 2030. The agreement follows a commitment at Gavi’s June 2025 pledging summit in Brussels to lower vaccine costs and expand access.

“Today’s announcement is a powerful example of what our Vaccine Alliance does best: leverage innovative financing and partnerships to shape vaccine markets and secure access to affordable vaccines – saving lives and delivering economic benefits to countries in the process,” said An Vermeersch, Gavi’s Chief Vaccine Programmes & Markets Officer. “There has been an unprecedented demand for this new tool that will better protect children against one of Africa’s largest killers of children under five, and we thank our partners who are helping us match the strong commitment countries have already shown to the malaria vaccine.”

Gavi facilitates and finances the procurement, logistics, market shaping and integration of malaria vaccines into national immunization programs. To date, over 40 million doses of malaria vaccines have been delivered through the Gavi malaria vaccination programme and are now part of routine immunization in 24 African countries that together represent more than 70% of the world’s malaria burden.

UNICEF is the world’s largest buyer of vaccines, delivering nearly three billion doses of vaccine every year, enough to vaccinate almost half of the world’s children. As such, UNICEF leads and maintains engagement with strategic manufacturers to achieve the best possible prices and, jointly with Gavi and other partners, fosters the healthy markets that are a prerequisite for a secure and sustainable global supply of life-saving vaccines for children.

“A child dies from malaria every minute, a devastating death toll of nearly half a million young lives claimed each year,” said Leila Pakkala, Director of UNICEF Supply Division. “At this critical juncture of unprecedented decline in funding for international aid, UNICEF is determined to continue our proactive work with partners to deliver enough vaccines at the best possible price to immunize and protect children from preventable diseases.”

 

This milestone was made possible thanks to IFFIm, Gavi’s innovative financing engine. By transforming long-term donor pledges into immediate cash, IFFIm gives the Alliance the agility to act fast when opportunities arise – such as securing equitable pricing for malaria vaccines. Since its inception, IFFIm has mobilized billions to accelerate immunization, proving that smart financial tools can deliver life-saving impact at scale.

“IFFIm exists to turn ambition into action. This agreement shows how financial innovation can unlock opportunities that save lives. By enabling Gavi to move quickly, we’re not just funding vaccines – we’re helping fight malaria and create a future where every child has a fair chance at protection,” said Ken Lay, Chair of the Board of Directors, IFFIm.

In 2023, there were an estimated 263 million malaria cases and 597,000 deaths globally, 11 million more cases than the previous year. About 95% of deaths – mainly in children under five – occurred in the African Region, where many still lack access to basic prevention and treatment. In many high-burden countries, the disease makes up the largest share of hospital consultations, representing a high cost to families and health systems. The World Health Organization estimates that treating an uncomplicated case in sub-Saharan Africa costs US$4-7 per outpatient visit, while severe cases requiring hospital care can exceed US$70.

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Notes to Editors:


About malaria vaccines:

  • WHO has prequalified two malaria vaccines to-date: R21/Matrix-M™ [co-developed by the University of Oxford and Serum Institute of India, leveraging Novavax’s Matrix-M™ adjuvant technology] and RTS,S/AS01 [developed by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), PATH and partners]
  • Both vaccines are prequalified and recommended by WHO to prevent malaria in children and are safe and effective.
  • In phase 3 clinical trials, both vaccines reduced malaria cases by more than half during the first year after vaccination, a period when children are at high risk of illness and death. A fourth dose given in the second year of life prolonged protection.
  • Both vaccines reduce malaria cases by about 75% when given seasonally in areas of highly seasonal transmission – where half of childhood malaria deaths occur.
  • The vaccines target Plasmodium falciparum, the deadliest malaria parasite globally and the most prevalent in Africa. Children under the age of 5 are at the greatest risk of dying from malaria and account for more than 75% of the global deaths from the disease. Unlike adults, young children have not had the opportunity to develop partial immunity through years of exposure, making them particularly at risk.
  • Find out more about malaria vaccines here: https://www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/q-a-on-rts-s-malaria-vaccine

About malaria vaccination in Africa:

  • As of November 2025, over 40 million doses have been delivered to 24 African countries, reflecting strong demand and country commitment to expanding protection against one of the continent’s largest killers of children.
  • Countries that provide the vaccine as part of their childhood immunization programmes and national malaria control plans include: Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Niger, Nigeria, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Sudan, Togo, Uganda and Zambia.
    • A total of 14 countries introduced the malaria vaccine for the first time in 2024, and 7 countries (Burundi, Uganda, Mali, Guinea, Togo, Ethiopia and Zambia) have thus far introduced in 2025.
    • Ghana, Kenya and Malawi introduced the malaria vaccine in 2019 as part of the WHO-led Malaria Vaccine Implementation Programme (MVIP) pilots, co-funded by Gavi, the Global Fund, UNITAID and other partners.
  • Children under the age of 5 are at the greatest risk of dying from malaria and account for more than 75% of the global deaths from the disease. Unlike adults, young children have not had the opportunity to develop partial immunity through years of exposure, making them particularly at risk.

About Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance
Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance is a public-private partnership that helps vaccinate more than half the world’s children against some of the world’s deadliest diseases. The Vaccine Alliance brings together developing country and donor governments, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the World Bank, the vaccine industry, technical agencies, civil society, the Gates Foundation and other private sector partners. View the full list of donor governments and other leading organisations that fund Gavi’s work here.

Since its inception in 2000, Gavi has helped to immunise a whole generation – over 1.2 billion children – and prevented more than 20.6 million future deaths, helping to halve child mortality in 78 lower‑income countries. Gavi also plays a key role in improving global health security by supporting health systems as well as funding global stockpiles for Ebola, cholera, meningococcal and yellow fever vaccines. After two decades of progress, Gavi is now focused on protecting the next generation, above all the zero-dose children who have not received even a single vaccine shot. The Vaccine Alliance employs innovative finance and the latest technology – from drones to biometrics – to save lives, prevent outbreaks before they can spread and help countries on the road to self-sufficiency. Learn more at www.gavi.org and connect with us on Facebook and X (Twitter).

About UNICEF UK

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. Across more than 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, to build a better world for everyone.

The UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK) raises funds for UNICEF’s emergency and development work for children. We also promote and protect children’s rights in the UK and internationally. We are a UK charity, entirely funded by supporters.

United Kingdom Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK), Registered Charity No. 1072612 (England & Wales), SC043677 (Scotland).

For more information visit unicef.org.uk.

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