Monday, 9th March, 2026
Hon Phillis Naa Koryoo Okunor
Awutu Senya East
Thank you, Mr Speaker, for this opportunity.
Mr Speaker, distinguished Members of Parliament, fellow Ghanaians, I rise today on behalf of the people of Awutu Senya East constituency, Kasoa, particularly its mothers and children, to draw this august House’s urgent attention to a public health milestone that has the potential to transform the destinies of our nation.
Mr Speaker, Ghana stands at the forefront of one of the most remarkable public health achievements of the early 21st century, the drastic reduction in child mortality through the introduction of a new malaria vaccine, a breakthrough many of our constituents believed they would never live to see. Mr Speaker, in countries like Ghana, these new vaccines have contributed to an extraordinary decline in child deaths. Official figures reveal those deaths among children below five plummeted by nearly 86 per cent as at two years ago from 2018. This is a testament to the power of preventive immunisation against one of the oldest scourges of our continent.
Mr Speaker, this is not abstract data. These are lives saved. The laughter of children now walking to school, the relief on parents faces, knowing a healthy tomorrow is possible. The economic benefits of our families, not grieving the death of an innocent child is real. This is real progress.
Mr Speaker, this progress, however, is under threat. Despite these gains, international support, particularly from major donors, is being scaled down. Funding cuts to critical global health alliance that supports malaria vaccinations, including reductions in contributions to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance could result in thousands of preventable child deaths of children under five and pregnant women in countries like Ghana, who depend on the support.
Mr Speaker, in the face of unwavering international support, I submit these two critical calls to action. One, increasing domestic financing for malaria vaccinations programme to reduce our dependence on volatile external fundings. Two, to strengthen vaccines logistics and cold chain systems, especially in rural and hard-to-reach communities, so, no child is left behind because of geography. Mr Speaker, today, we honour the courage of Ghanaian mothers who bring their children to clinics, the dedication of our nurses, and health workers and the vision of global health partners. But we cannot stand complacence while the foundation of this progress wobble.
Mr Speaker, let us be a Parliament that ensures the gains against malaria did not slip away. Let us be known as leaders who delivered healthy security for Ghana’s children. Let our actions be the legacy Ghana’s parents and their children can look back on with pride.
I thank you, Mr Speaker, and all the Hon Members for their audience. May God bless our motherland.
Hon Abdul-Khaliq Mohammed Sherif
Nanton
Thank you very much, Mr Speaker, for this opportunity to contribute to the Statement made by the Hon Member.
Malaria, as we all know, is one of the killer diseases that we have in Africa and Ghana. The whole essence of vaccination is to ensure that people build immunity against future infections. Ghana is gradually shifting from malaria control to malaria elimination. The aim is to reduce deaths that occur through malaria by 90 per cent and also reduce this case incidence by about 50 per cent. Ghana is doing this through what we call the National Malaria Strategic Elimination Programme between 2024 and 2028.
The key strategies that are used here include enhanced surveillance, the widespread use of insecticide-treated mosquito nets, indoor residual spraying, larval source management, and seasonal malaria chemo prevention. As part of the vaccines, two key vaccines are used in Ghana currently. From 2019, we were using the vaccine known as the RTS,S/AS01. Currently, we are using the vaccine known as the R21/Matrix-M. That one is usually used in malaria endemic areas. What is the protocol we are using as a county? We are saying that every child under the age of five should get about four doses, starting from six months, seven months, nine months, and 18 months.
With this, what we have achieved so far is that, we have been able to reduce our in-patient malaria mortality from 428 in 2018 to 115 in 2022. We have also been able to cut the parasite prevalence rate in children under five from 20.6 per cent in 2014 to about 14 per cent in 2022. We all know that because of what is happening in the United States of America, our international partners like Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, are shifting out of the country.
But the Government of H. E. John Dramani Mahama—If we listened carefully to the President when he presented the Message on the State of the Nation, he made it clear that the Government was allocating US$50 million in the area of vaccine production within Ghana. It is to provide vaccine for our children, to increase local content and provide employment.
Mr Speaker, if we cast our minds back to somewhere around 2022 to 2023, children in Ghana, which is 69 years, could not get key vaccines like BCG, measles and so on. But thankfully, now, that situation is a thing of the past. As Gavi is leaving and as Government has put aside this money, it is my belief that malaria, which used to be the number one killer—If you had gone through a hospital, they would tell you malaria is the number one killer. But for now, through the intervention of Government and the use of the three “Ts” which is to test, treat and you track, most of our hospitals now are recording lower incidence of malaria and our children who used to die, especially those under five, are living much longer.
Mr Speaker, with these few words, I thank you for the opportunity.
Hon Rockson-Nelson Etse Kwami Dafeamekpor
South Dayi
Mr Speaker, let me commend the Member for bringing this matter to national attention.
Mr Speaker, just a couple of months ago, we passed the National Vaccines Institute Act, 2023, (Act 1097) to law and it has been established. If you consider the work that the new entity has done, led by Dr Sodzi Sodzi-Tettey; it is very profound. So, I have been wondering why it took us so long to establish the National Vaccine Institute. Being such a young entity, they are doing big things. It is such a big boost to local production of such critical vaccines for ailments that have afflicted us for centuries, I should say, especially malaria. It is a very good thing that is brought to attention. I believe that in their programmes, they will pay attention to the issues that she raised in her Statement, so that in funding, entities that will benefit from it can actually utilise them for the benefit of the health industry.
Mr Speaker, what we are also saying is that, they should not centralise some of these programmes. They should go to the regions and establish them because the centralisation is not helping. We have a lot of regional hospitals that are still reeling from the inadequacies of such facilities. As a Member, I would pray that the Committee on Health pays attention. I saw the Chairman and some of the Members on the floor a while ago. They should pay attention to some of these things, so that in their regional rounds, they can pay critical attention to how these are developing in the districts and regions.
Mr Speaker, with these words, I thank the Member for bringing this matter to attention. Thank you very much.
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