Ghana is positioning technology-driven innovation at the centre of its malaria elimination strategy, as global funding shortfalls and emerging mosquito threats complicate the fight against the disease.
At a regional workshop in Accra on Technology-Enabled Larval Source Management (LSM), Deputy Health Minister Grace Ayensu-Danquah said the country’s approach reflects a broader commitment to health sovereignty and economic resilience.
The two-day workshop, organised by Sora Technology in collaboration with the National Malaria Elimination Programme, brought together programme managers from across Africa and parts of Asia under the theme, “From Mapping to Action: Tech-Enabled LSM for Malaria Elimination.”
Prof Ayensu-Danquah, who is also Member of Parliament for Essikado-Ketan, noted that malaria continues to pose a major global health threat, claiming an estimated 610,000 lives in 2024 — the majority in Africa. She pointed to a global malaria funding gap of 5.4 billion dollars, with only 42 percent of required resources currently available.
Despite these constraints, she said Ghana’s national response has produced measurable gains. Under the National Malaria Elimination Strategic Plan (2024–2028), malaria-related deaths dropped to 74 in 2024, down from 151 in 2022 — representing a 97 percent decline since 2012, when nearly 2,800 fatalities were recorded.
The Deputy Minister identified technology-enabled LSM as a critical complement to traditional interventions such as insecticide-treated nets, indoor residual spraying and effective case management. She highlighted its cost advantage, noting that while indoor spraying costs about 6.70 dollars per person protected, tech-enabled LSM can cost between 24 and 44 cents per person — making it viable for nationwide scale-up.
She also warned of emerging threats, including the detection of the invasive Anopheles stephensi mosquito in Accra in 2023. The species, which breeds in artificial water containers and urban environments, presents new challenges to conventional malaria control strategies.
Citing the experience of Djibouti, where malaria cases surged dramatically following the spread of the vector, she cautioned that up to 126 million urban Africans could face heightened risk if containment efforts fail.
Prof Ayensu-Danquah stressed the need for practical implementation plans, robust monitoring systems and sustainable financing mechanisms to sustain progress. She linked the initiative to President John Dramani Mahama’s Accra Reset vision, emphasising that Africa must take ownership of its health security.
“Health is not a cost; it is the engine of productivity and the foundation of sovereignty,” she stated, pledging Ghana’s commitment to strengthening domestic capacity and partnerships.
Japan’s Ambassador to Ghana, Hiroshi Yoshimoto, called for deeper integration of science and technology in malaria control and reaffirmed Japan’s support for universal health coverage and stronger national health systems.
Meanwhile, Fiona Braka, Country Representative of the World Health Organization to Ghana, underscored the growing impact of climate change, environmental variability and population movement on vector-borne diseases. She advocated data-driven LSM approaches using artificial intelligence, drones and remote sensing to accelerate elimination efforts.
The workshop concluded with renewed calls for cross-border collaboration and innovative financing to secure a malaria-free future for the continent.
