Friday, July 17, 2026

UNICEF awards $170 million malaria vaccine contract to GSK

“We hope this is just the beginning. Continued innovation is needed to develop…next-generation vaccines to increase available supply and enable a healthier vaccine market.”

• August 17, 2022
UNICEF and MALARIA VACCINE
UNICEF and Malaria Vaccine

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has awarded a contract for the first ever supply of a malaria vaccine to GSK with a value of up to $170 million.

UNICEF, in a statement on Tuesday, said the landmark award would lead to 18 million doses of RTS, S/AS01 (RTS, S) being available over the next three years, potentially saving thousands of lives every year.

In 2020, nearly half a million children died from malaria in Africa alone, a rate of one child death per minute.

Etleva Kadilli, director of UNICEF’s supply division, said the vaccine rollout would give a clear message to malaria vaccine developers to continue their work because malaria vaccines are needed and wanted.

“We hope this is just the beginning. Continued innovation is needed to develop new and next-generation vaccines to increase available supply and enable a healthier vaccine market,” the director added. “This is a giant step forward in our collective efforts to save children’s lives and reduce the burden of malaria as part of wider malaria prevention and control programmes.”

According to WHO data, more than 30 countries have areas with moderate to high malaria transmission, where the vaccine could provide added protection against malaria to over 25 million children each year once the supply scales up.

The RTS,S malaria vaccine results from 35 years of research and development and is the first-ever vaccine against a parasitic disease. The vaccine acts against Plasmodium falciparum, the most deadly malaria parasite globally and the most prevalent in Africa.

In 2019, pilot routine vaccine use was launched in three countries – Ghana, Kenya and Malawi – as part of the Malaria Vaccine Implementation Programme coordinated by WHO.

The experience and evidence generated by the pilots informed WHO’s recommendation in October 2021 for the widespread use of the first malaria vaccine in countries with moderate to high P. falciparum malaria transmission.

Soon after, in December 2021, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance’s decision to provide funding for malaria vaccine programmes in eligible countries opened the pathway for a broader rollout of the vaccine.

(NAN)

We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.

More from Peoples Gazette

farmers

Agriculture

FG tasks ECOWAS on leveraging financing strategies for agroecology

The federal government has urged stakeholders in the agriculture and finance sectors in the West Africa region to leverage financing strategies to enhance agroecology practices

Katsina State

Politics

Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku

“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”

FIFA President Gianni Infantino

Sport

FIFA to present first-ever championship rings to World Cup winners

The global football governing body announced that the ring presentation to winners would be held alongside the trophy presentation in a statement on Thursday.

Infantino presenting World Cup trophy to Trump at White House

Sport

Trump will attend 2026 World Cup final, says White House

U.S. President Donald Trump will attend the 2026 World Cup final, featuring Argentina and Spain, scheduled for Sunday.

Delta House of Assembly

Politics

Delta assembly retains N1 trillion budget, passes property protection amendment bill

The Delta House of Assembly retained the state’s 2025 budget at N1.179 trillion despite the recent supplementary review.

Ernest Koromaand President Goodluck Jonathan

Africa

Jonathan hails Sierra Leone’s decision on ex-president Koroma

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has commended the Sierra Leone government’s decision to discontinue criminal proceedings against its former president, Ernest Koroma.

Governor Hyacinth Iormem Alia

States

Benue govt, foundation partner to improve agriculture, boost food security

The Benue government pledged to strengthen its partnership with the Teryima and Msurshima Foundation to expand the distribution of improved foundation seed.

Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shettima

Politics

Borno youths mobilise thousands for Tinubu, Shettima’s re-election

Youths in Borno have mobilised thousands to canvass grassroots support for the re-election of President Bola Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima.