The malaria vaccine just got about 40% cheaper — and that could protect up to a million more children

A vaccine only helps if countries can afford it — and the malaria vaccine just became much easier to afford. UNICEF and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, have agreed a deal that cuts the price of the RTS,S malaria vaccine by about 40%, to €5.50 (about $6.40) a dose, saving around $50 million between 2027 and 2029. That saving alone could pay for full four-dose courses for up to a million more children. Demand has already outrun early forecasts: more than 74 million doses have been delivered since rollout began in 2024, and malaria vaccination is now part of routine immunisation in 25 African countries. The lower price, expected by early 2027, was made possible by an advance payment from the International Finance Facility for Immunisation and by vaccine production moving to Bharat Biotech in India — though the deal still depends on regulatory and factory milestones being met.

SDG 3 · Good health and well-being — Mechanism: market force