Ghana has made remarkable strides in combating malaria among children under five, recording a 45 percent drop in cases, thanks largely to the integration of malaria vaccines into the country’s routine immunisation programme, the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) has reported.
Malaria remains one of Ghana’s deadliest diseases, disproportionately affecting young children. However, recent data from the Ghana Statistical Service reveals that malaria prevalence in children under five plummeted from 26.7 percent in 2014 to 8.6 percent in 2022, signaling a dramatic improvement in public health outcomes.
This progress follows the successful rollout of the WHO-recommended R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine, introduced through targeted pilot projects in 43 high-risk districts such as Upper West, Northern, Savannah, and Western North regions. Over 1.3 million vaccine doses have already been administered by the end of 2022, marking a promising start for this new preventative measure.
The four-dose vaccine schedule is administered to children between six months and 18 months old, aligning with existing immunisation visits to maximise coverage. Encouraged by the pilot’s success, the programme has expanded to 135 districts nationwide, achieving an 80 percent uptake for the third dose and growing adherence to the critical fourth dose.
Dr. Kezia Malm, NMEP Programme Manager, highlighted the vaccine’s role in complementing other malaria control efforts, noting its efficacy in reducing severe malaria cases and easing the overall disease burden. Ghana’s approach has inspired similar initiatives in other African countries, including Kenya and Malawi.
While Ghana has benefitted from Gavi’s support since 2001 in strengthening immunisation systems, the country is now preparing to transition towards self-sufficiency. The Ministry of Health, in partnership with the Ministry of Finance, is working on a roadmap to sustain and expand malaria vaccination efforts independently by 2030.
The sustained reduction in childhood malaria cases underscores Ghana’s commitment to safeguarding its youngest citizens and advancing towards eventual malaria elimination, a public health victory with far-reaching implications for national development.
