Accra: Parliament has committed to improving immunization coverage in Ghana by mobilising domestic resources to sustain vaccine delivery, an effort to protect the citizenry, particularly children. It has also approved the establishment of a Parliamentary Immunisation Caucus to lead advocacy and mobilisation of local resources amid dwindling donor funding for Ghana's immunisation programme.
According to Ghana News Agency, Hope for Future Generations (HFFG) has been implementing advocacy for immunisation financing in Ghana since 2023, with funding from the Global Health Advocacy Incubator and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance partnership. Key objectives are to advocate for increased domestic resource mobilisation at the national and subnational levels dedicated to Preventive Healthcare (PHC) and immunisation service delivery, as well as the timely payment of Government's co-financing obligations.
As part of the advocacy strategies, the Global Health Advocacy Incubator, in collaboration with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, convened a meeting of the Civil Society organisations and Members of Parliament from the nine countries in Africa that are implementing the immunisation financing advocacy project. Two representatives of the Parliamentary Select Committee represented Ghana's parliament in Istanbul from April 14 to 16. The meeting provided a valuable opportunity for peer exchange on parliamentarians' roles in promoting sustainable immunisation and sharing best practices for encouraging MPs to advocate for immunisation and primary healthcare.
Dr. Sebastian Ngmenenso Sandaare, Chairperson for the Parliamentary Caucus, said the approval, granted by the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Bagbin, marked a milestone in Ghana's public health commitment to ensure that no child was left behind in the country's immunisation drive. Dr. Sandaare said the group would serve as a bipartisan platform to push for sustained investment in immunisation, strengthen oversight of related policies, and engage stakeholders to address vaccine access and delivery challenges.
Dr. Sandaare emphasized the critical need to mobilise domestic resources to protect every child, especially as donor funding declines, particularly from Gavi, which will exit Ghana by 2029. He noted that the caucus would work with civil society, government agencies, and development partners to ensure sustainable financing for vaccines.
Dr. Alexander Akwasi Acquah, Vice Chairperson, stated that the caucus would be 'the voice for children' on immunisation matters, ensuring that children were protected. Dr. Acquah assured that the caucus would address local mobilisation challenges, drawing lessons from the Istanbul meeting to prevent any future vaccine shortages.
He further noted that while Ghana's Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) coverage was currently among the highest in the African region, more effort was needed to reach 100 per cent coverage and sustain the gains made. Mrs. Cecilia Senoo, Executive Director of HFFG, stressed that immunisation remained one of the most cost-effective health interventions, highlighting the necessity of parliamentarians' involvement and support.
Mrs. Senoo commended the government for prioritising vaccine co-financing, noting that over GHS24 million had recently been allocated through the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) to cover vaccine costs, with plans to pay a year in advance. The official inauguration of the caucus will be held at a later date to bring together parliamentarians, health authorities, civil society, and development partners to set an action plan.
