Gavi and UNICEF Strike Deal to Boost Access to Malaria Vaccine

Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and UNICEF have signed a deal to make the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine significantly more accessible and affordable. The agreement aims to protect more children from malaria globally.

• Financial impact and savings

• The deal is expected to save up to $90 million for Gavi and participating countries.
• These savings could provide over 30 million additional doses of the malaria vaccine.
• Funding is enabled via Gavi, through an advance payment under the International Finance Facility for Immunisation (IFFIm) mechanism.

• Roles of Gavi and UNICEF

• Gavi: Facilitates procurement, logistics, market shaping, and integration of malaria vaccines into national immunisation programs.
• UNICEF: The world’s largest vaccine buyer, delivering nearly three billion doses annually, enough to vaccinate almost half of the world’s children.

• WHO-prequalified malaria vaccines

• R21/Matrix-M: Co-developed by the University of Oxford and Serum Institute of India, using Novavax’s Matrix-M adjuvant.
• RTS,S/AS01: Developed by GSK, PATH, and partners.
• Both vaccines are prequalified and recommended by WHO for preventing malaria in children and are safe and effective.

Source: TH