Gavi and UNICEF agree to cut RTS,S malaria vaccine price by about 40% to €5.50 a dose

UNICEF executed the agreement with financial backing from Gavi. The alliance said an advance payment by the International Finance Facility for Immunisation enabled the deal, and that the $50 million in projected savings between 2027 and 2029 could protect up to one million more children with the full four-dose course or help countries reach more children with other vaccines. The lower price is expected to take effect by early 2027, subject to regulatory and manufacturing milestones, including WHO prequalification of a new manufacturing facility.

“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.

A price tied to a new plant

The price builds on the transfer of RTS,S production from GSK to Bharat Biotech of India, the Guardian reported. The change is intended to expand supply capacity and create a more competitive malaria vaccine market. Gavi said the €5.50 price is approximately 40% below the price paid today.

Demand rose faster than forecasts

Demand for malaria vaccines has exceeded initial forecasts since rollout began in 2024, Gavi said. UNICEF has procured and delivered more than 74 million doses. The Gavi-funded programme is part of routine immunisation in 25 African countries that carry more than 70% of the global malaria burden.

The Associated Press reported in July that more than 52 million doses had reached 25 high-risk African countries with Gavi's support. That report said the rollout faced a 'stark constraint' after foreign aid cuts by the Trump administration and others. Gavi says it is guaranteeing supply for up to 70% of eligible children in the lowest-income countries.

The fourth dose is the weak link

Coverage falls sharply for the fourth dose. In 158 pilot districts in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi, coverage reached about 80% for the first dose, given at around six months. It fell to 46% for the fourth dose, given between 22 and 24 months, according to a study in the Malaria Journal cited by the Associated Press.

A full four-dose course reduces malaria cases by about 75% when given seasonally in areas of high seasonal transmission, Gavi said. WHO recommended RTS,S for wider use in 2021 after the pilot studies found it reduced deaths among eligible children by 13%, the AP reported.

A study published in May 2026 in The Lancet monitored the rollout over 46 months across 158 areas in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi. It estimated that about one in eight deaths among young children was prevented in the areas studied, AllAfrica reported.

The burden remains

The burden remains large. In 2024 there were an estimated 282 million malaria cases and 610,000 deaths worldwide, according to figures Gavi published with the price announcement. Up to 95% of both were in Africa, and about 74% of the deaths were among children under five.

The World Malaria Report 2025 estimated that more than 170 million cases and around one million deaths were prevented worldwide in 2024 through wider use of prevention tools including vaccines, AllAfrica reported. The same article cited WHO figures showing around 579,000 malaria deaths in Africa in 2024.

The 2030 target

Gavi aims to vaccinate 50 million more children against malaria by 2030, a target it links to affordable and sustainable supply.