By Rachel Kakraba
Deputy Programme Manager of the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP), Dr. Nana Yaw Peprah, says Ghana is making significant progress toward malaria elimination. He disclosed that in the first year of implementing its elimination strategies, the country achieved a 90 percent reduction in malaria-related in-patient deaths.
“If you look at our first goal, which is a 90% reduction in deaths, we were targeting 0.32 inpatient deaths per one hundred thousand persons per year. For 2024, we were able to achieve that. We actually achieved 0.21. In absolute numbers, we were aiming for 106 deaths but recorded 74 deaths instead,” he said.
He added: “I mean, somebody would say that you can’t even call it an achievement because people are still dying. I agree. I think that even one mortality shouldn’t be accepted, but just looking at the progress we have made, hopefully, in the very near future, we’ll achieve zero malaria-related mortalities.”
Dr. Peprah made these remarks during a webinar to commemorate World Malaria Day, observed annually on April 25.
The event was organized by the Centre for Malaria Research at the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS), in collaboration with the Ghana National Malaria Elimination Programme and the African Media and Malaria Research Network (AMMREN).
Dr. Peprah noted that while some regions have recorded zero malaria deaths, the Greater Accra Region continues to report a significant number, and targeted interventions are being developed to address the situation.
“If you look at the regional breakdown, some regions recorded zero deaths, but key for me is the Greater Accra Region. A number of these deaths came from one district. We are working closely with them to identify the issues and work them out to ensure that these challenges do not continue,” he stated.
Dr. Peprah announced that plans are underway to roll out Intermittent Preventive Treatment (IPT) for malaria among schoolchildren in moderate- to high-burden districts across the country.
“We want to introduce intermittent preventive treatment among schoolchildren. Every term when they go to school, we want to give them an anti-malarial that will help protect them throughout the term so they don’t fall sick with malaria. This will help them focus on their studies and reduce malaria incidence and transmission rates,” he explained.
About World Malaria Day
World Malaria Day, observed annually on April 25, highlights the need for continued investment and sustained political commitment for malaria prevention and control. This year’s commemoration is themed “Malaria Ends with Us: Reinvest, Reimagine, Reignite.” It focuses on a grassroots campaign aiming to re-energize efforts at all levels, from global policy to community action, to accelerate progress toward malaria elimination.
Ghana’s Malaria Elimination Efforts
After years of malaria control strategies, Ghana stepped up efforts toward elimination in 2022, led by epidemiologist and former Vice-Chancellor of UHAS, Prof. Fred Binka. In 2024, the country launched the National Malaria Elimination Strategic Plan (NMESP) for 2024–2028.
The five-year blueprint aims to:
- Reduce malaria mortality by 90% by 2028.
- Reduce malaria case incidence by 50% by 2028 (using 2022 as the baseline).
- Eliminate malaria in 21 districts with very low malaria burdens by 2028.
The 21 target districts include Ablekuma Central, Ablekuma North, Ablekuma West, Adenta, Ashaiman, Ayawaso Central, Ayawaso East, Ayawaso North, Ayawaso West, Ga Central, Ga East, Korle Klottey, Kpone-Katamanso, Krowor, La Dade-Kotopon, La-Nkwantanang-Madina, Ledzokuku, Okaikwei North, Tema West, and the Accra and Tema Metropolis.
The NMESP is integrated into all levels of the healthcare system and adopts a progressive, sub-national approach, deploying a mix of malaria interventions tailored to local contexts.
The NMESP’s eight strategic objectives include:
- Ensuring 100% of the population has adequate knowledge, attitudes, practices, and skills for malaria elimination.
- Ensuring 100% of the population uses at least one malaria preventive measure.
- Ensuring 100% of suspected malaria cases are tested by 2028.
- Ensuring 100% of confirmed malaria cases are appropriately treated.
- Strengthening malaria surveillance, monitoring, and evaluation systems.
- Ensuring timely and adequate supply of quality-assured malaria commodities.
- Strengthening governance and programme management capacity across all levels.
- Improving mobilization and efficient use of resources.
Global Malaria Statistics
National Professional Officer for Malaria at the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Felicia Owusu-Antwi, said global statistics show some progress in malaria control efforts.
“Out of the 90 countries that were malaria-endemic in 2015, 26 were able to meet the 40% reduction target for morbidity. Another 34 countries showed reductions, although they didn’t reach the 40% target. So it looks like about 60% of the countries are doing quite well,” she said.
She continued: “When it comes to mortality, 38% of the countries achieved the 40% reduction target as of 2020, with 40% of countries showing reductions in mortality overall.”
However, Dr. Owusu-Antwi identified funding gaps as major challenges:
“Regarding financing, the global technical strategy set a funding target of $8.3 billion for 2023, but actual funding was $4.3 billion — leaving a very big funding gap. With new funding cuts expected in 2025, we really have to tighten our belts.”
She emphasized that strong leadership is critical for malaria elimination:
“Many countries have been at the elimination stage for years. Although governments have prioritized malaria elimination on paper, strong leadership is needed to truly advance the agenda.”
According to the WHO 2024 Annual Report, there were 263 million malaria cases globally in 2023, resulting in approximately 597,000 deaths — with Africa accounting for 95% of cases and 96% of deaths. Most of these were among children under the age of five.
Conclusion
Malaria remains a major public health and socio-economic challenge in Ghana, requiring continued and concerted efforts to reduce the disease burden and improve the population’s health and well-being.
