Awutu Senya East MP pushes for more government funding for malaria vaccination

For countless Ghanaian mothers in rural communities, the malaria vaccine has meant something priceless: watching their young children grow up healthy, attend school regularly, and play without the constant threat of deadly fever.

Now, with international donors scaling back support, Awutu Senya East MP Phillis Naa Koryoo Okunor is calling on the government to step in and protect this life-saving progress.

Speaking with the media in Accra, the lawmaker highlighted how far the country has come thanks to the vaccine rollout and expressed deep concern that funding shortfalls could reverse those hard-won gains.

“86% of children had come out of the malaria pandemic because of the vaccinations that were available, and the government doesn't intend to let these rates come down," she said.

Okunor pointed to recent cuts in global aid, including reduced contributions to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which helps supply vaccines to low-income countries like Ghana.

"There's been a cut in donor support. Major donors have scaled back, and contributions to Gavi could result in scarce vaccination supplies,” she said.

She made it clear that the stakes are personal and immediate for families across the country, especially for children under five and pregnant women, the groups hit hardest by malaria.

"The Ministry of Health must be better financed so that our children, and especially those under five, and our pregnant women can continue to benefit. Mothers in rural areas no longer fear for their children’s lives. Because of the vaccines, children are healthy, attend school, and play without suffering from malaria,” she said.

While acknowledging that Ghana is not facing this challenge alone, “It is not just Ghana that has been cut off from donor support systems; it’s many countries. The USAID system and other contributions have been affected,” she added. Okunor stressed the need for decisive local action.

“I raised the matter to draw the government’s attention and call on the Ministry of Finance to ensure the Ministry of Health receives adequate funding so that the vaccines expected in the country are not reduced. If we were initially receiving 200 boxes of vaccines, the supply should not drop to 100 or 50 due to donor reductions,” she said.

Her message was straightforward and urgent: act now so that fewer parents have to watch their children fall ill again.

“This is a call to action so that the cut in donor support does not affect this very important malaria vaccination exercise,” she concluded.

NA/MA

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