Immunization remains one of the most cost‑effective public health interventions and a cornerstone of strong primary health care systems. In Ghana, sustained investments -in immunization have contributed significantly to improved child survival, reduced morbidity and mortality from vaccine‑preventable diseases, and strengthened community trust in health services.
However, sustaining these gains is becoming increasingly challenging. Having attained a middle-income status, Ghana is currently in the accelerated transition phase of Gavi support. This implies a continuous decline in donor funding, while the country’s co‑financing obligations under Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, continue to rise annually, with full self-financing of the immunization programme expected from 2030. This shift places greater responsibility on the government to mobilize domestic resources to fund immunization services. It underscores the need for strong political leadership, high-level advocacy and effective oversight to ensure predictable budgetary allocations and uninterrupted access to life‑saving vaccines.
To fulfill this responsibility, a Parliamentary Caucus on Immunization has been launched to advocate for adequate and predictable funding to safeguard immunization services. 15 Members of Parliament attended the inauguration, mainly drawn from the Health, Finance, Budget, Gender, Children and Social Welfare Committees, reflecting the shared responsibility in immunization across sectors and its role in health and national development.
The Caucus builds on Ghana’s participation in the Istanbul Forum on Catalysing Parliamentary Leadership for Immunization Financing in April 2025, convened by the Global Health Advocacy Incubator and Gavi. A key outcome of the forum was the Istanbul Parliamentary Call to Action, which united Members of Parliament to champion sustainable immunization financing and strengthen domestic mobilization.
Globally, the World Health Organization estimates that immunization prevents between four and five million deaths each year, while also reducing long term health care costs and productivity losses. In Ghana, investments in immunization have reinforced the primary health care system by serving as a platform for integrated service delivery, linking child health interventions such as nutrition, growth monitoring, and the distribution of long‑lasting insecticide‑treated nets. Through a wide network of outreach service delivery points, these efforts have extended the reach of health services to underserved communities, strengthening equity, resilience, and trust in the health system
