By  SOLA OGUNDIPE

THE Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisations, GAVI, has announced a new  record low price for the Human Papillomavirus, HPV, vaccines to enable millions of girls in developing countries get protection  against  the virus, strains of which cause cervical cancer.

According to the new price regime, Merck, a U.S. drugmaker expects to supply around 2.4 million doses of its Gardasil at $4.50 per dose to GAVI-eligible countries between 2013 to 2017, while British company, GSK’s Cervarix would cost $4.60 per dose. The vaccines costs $30-40 in Nigeria and can cost more than $100 in developed countries.

But critics argue that the deal is still far too expensive for many poor countries – particularly since three doses of the vaccines need to be given  to ensure full protection.

“It will still cost nearly $14 to fully protect a girl against HPV,” said Kate Elder of the international charity Medecins Sans Frontieres, MSF.

“It’s really disappointing that pharmaceutical companies haven’t offered GAVI a much better deal.”

Announcing the new price, GAVI’s chief executive, Seth Berkley, said by 2020 the  hope was to reach more than 30 million girls in more than 40 countries.  Ghana, Kenya, Laos, Madagascar, Malawi, Niger, Sierra Leone and Tanzania are   first to get support in pilot projects.

“Developing countries bear an increasing burden of cervical cancer and it is only right that our girls should have the same protection as girls in other countries,” said Richard Sezibera, former Health Minister of Rwanda and a GAVI board member.