Malaria Vaccine Cost $2.99

With hundreds of thousands of malaria-related fatalities occurring annually in Africa, as well as numerous confirmed travel-related malaria cases, access to World Health Organization (WHO) endorsed vaccines has recently become more economically feasible.

On November 24, 2025, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and UNICEF announced a new agreement that will significantly reduce the cost of the R21/Matrix-M™ malaria vaccines.

The lower price of the R21 vaccine, at $2.99 per dose, is expected to take effect in approximately 1 year.

The deal indicates more than 30 million additional doses, enabling the vaccination of nearly 7 million more African children against malaria over the next five years. About 95% of malaria deaths, mainly in children, occurred in the African Region.

"A child dies from malaria every minute, a devastating death toll of nearly half a million young lives claimed each year," commented Leila Pakkala, Director of UNICEF Supply Division, in a press release.

"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."

UNICEF is the world's largest buyer of vaccines, delivering nearly 3 billion doses each year, enough to vaccinate almost half of the world's children. 

As of November 2025, two malaria vaccines are offered in 24 African countries.

On October 2, 2023, the World Health Organization recommended R21/Matrix-M for the prevention of malaria in children. The R21/Matrix-M™ vaccine includes Novavax AB's proprietary saponin-based Matrix-M adjuvant and is licensed to and manufactured by India-based Serum Institute of India Private Ltd.

Currently, these malaria vaccines are unavailable in the United States.

Approximately 2,000 travel-related malaria cases are reported in the U.S. each year.

In Florida, 44 travel-related malaria cases have been confirmed as of week #47 in 2025, 17 of which were related to travel to Nigeria. In 2023, seven locally acquired mosquito-transmitted malaria cases were reported near Sarasota, and previously in Palm Beach County.