The cost of immunising millions of the world’s most vulnerable children against five deadly and debilitating diseases is set to fall, thanks to a major price reduction of one third for pentavalent vaccine.
This new, more cost-effective price provides the opportunity for the GAVI Alliance to pay up to US$ 150 million less over the next four years compared with using lowest cost alternative suppliers.
A supply agreement with Biological E Ltd of India makes the five-in-one shot available to GAVI for just $1.19 per dose, compared to the 2012 weighted average price of $2.17.
“This is great news for children in the world’s poorest countries and it shows that our innovative public-private partnership model is working well,” said Dr Seth Berkley, CEO of the GAVI Alliance. “A decade ago we had just one European supplier and a price of US$ 3.56. Today we have five suppliers, including two in India, and a price that is down to its lowest level yet. This marks the realisation of a vision that GAVI started a decade ago to create a healthy, competitive and sustainable global market for pentavalent vaccine”.
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