One Shot, Long Life!

Ghana is writing a new chapter of its vaccine story. As the country prepares to transition away from Gavi support by 2029, two landmark developments signal that Ghana is not waiting for the future to happen to it. Parliament has launched a dedicated caucus on immunization to champion domestic funding. The National Vaccine Institute, backed by $75 million in government investment, is advancing plans to make Ghana a vaccine-producing nation with at least four domestically manufactured antigens by next year. In this episode of "One Shot, Long Life!" host Abel Akara Ticha is joined by three guests  who are contributing to Ghana’s rapid immunization development: Hon. Charles Agbeve, Member of Parliament and Chairman of the National Vaccine Institute board; Cecilia Lodonu-Senoo, Executive Director of Hope for Future Generations (our civil society partner in Ghana); and Stephen Atasige, GHAI's In-Country Coordinator for Immunization in Ghana. Hear how the Global Health Advocacy Incubator/Gavi-inspired Istanbul Parliamentary Call to Action paved the way for the creation of the immunization caucus and how a coalition of legislators, traditional leaders and the Ministry of Health came together to make it happen. Learn about the two pharmaceutical ventures are now building production facilities with government-backed financing and why regional cooperation with countries like Senegal, South Africa and Rwanda is essential so no country goes it alone. Explore the urgent call for a dedicated vaccine budget line in Ghana's 2027 national budget and the critical role of civil society in holding government accountable. Join us to discover how Ghana is building the political will, institutional infrastructure and financial architecture to own its immunization destiny. 

As Zambia navigates its transition away from public health donor dependency, a compelling locally-led solution is emerging: leveraging the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) for immunization programming. With over 40 million Kwacha, about $2 million, allocated to each of Zambia's 156 constituencies in 2026, lawmakers are now pushing for a ring-fenced quota for immunization programs. In Mbabala constituency alone, that model has already resulted in the construction of two maternity annexes, seven equipped health facilities, community water schemes and a community volunteer workforce reaching children at the last mile. In this episode of One Shot, Long Life!, host Abel Akara Ticha speaks with three leaders at the center of this effort: ·             Honorable Joseph Munsanje, Member of Parliament for Mbabala and Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Health ·             Honorable Christopher Kang’ombe, Member of Parliament for Kitwe and Chairperson of the Parliamentary Caucus on Immunization ·             Friday Nkhoma, Manager of Advocacy Planning and Development at the Churches Health Association of Zambia (CHAZ)  Together, they discuss how the CDF is being deployed to strengthen reliable cold chains for vaccines, power health facility equipment and mobilize community volunteers, as well as how CHAZ is translating constituency-level successes into national advocacy. Join us to understand how Zambia is turning local political will into a replicable national model and what a fully domesticated immunization program could look like by 2030.  

In 2024 and 2025, Kenya faced a severe vaccine stockout crisis, prompting a critical question in Parliament: When caregivers must cross borders to find routine vaccines, how many others are left behind? On February 5, 2026, stakeholders gathered in Nairobi to move from assigning blame to building sustainable solutions. In this episode of "One Shot, Long Life," host Abel Akara Ticha takes us inside that dialogue with three key leaders: Dr. Rose Jalang'o (Manager, Kenya’s National Vaccines and Immunization Program), Ms. Risper Chebet (Global Health Advocacy Incubator’s Africa Regional Coordinator on Vaccine Availability) and Global Health Journalist Dorcas Wangira. Together, they explore the root causes of stockouts—from delayed procurement to financing gaps—and the path forward as Kenya prepares for the end of Gavi support in 2029. Dr. Jalang'o argues that vaccine availability is not just a technical challenge, but a "public confidence issue," while Ms. Chebet highlights the need for better forecasting and coordination under the next five-year program of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. ." Meanwhile, Ms. Wangira sheds light on the media’s role in holding power to account and combatting the misinformation that drives vaccine hesitancy. Join us to understand how civil society, government and media are collaborating to ensure that supply chains remain strong and communities remain confident. As the team discusses, stockouts are not inevitable. They are the result of choices about budgets, priorities and trust. 

Zambia is facing a critical immunization gap. Coverage for children under one has plummeted from approximately 84% in 2021 to just 64% in 2023, leaving many of the 700,000 babies born annually vulnerable. This decline is happening as the country faces a stark financial reality: a transition from Gavi support which requires it to increase its co-payment for critical vaccines  as per its agreement with Gavi from the outset,  and projected general annual vaccine costs approaching $35 million by 2030, taking into due to population increase, increased vaccine costs and  the introduction of new vaccines (such as the one against malaria).In response, Zambia’s lawmakers have formed a groundbreaking parliamentary caucus for immunization financing.In this episode of "One Shot, Long Life!", host Abel Akara Ticha speaks with the architects of this new strategy:Hon. Christopher Kang’ombe, Chair of Zambia’s National Assembly Committee on Health Wesley Kampaya Mwambazi, GHAI’s In-Country Coordinator Mwila Musonda, Advocacy Officer for the Churches Health Association of Zambia (CHAZ) They discuss how this bipartisan caucus will use legislative power to address systemic challenges, from low budget execution rates and high vaccine wastage to the need for innovative domestic financing.Join us to learn how Zambia is turning political will into legislative action to secure a healthy future for every child. 

Kenya faces a critical crossroads in its immunization journey. Despite last financial year’s health budget of 127 billion shillings (nearly $1 billion USD), the country experienced vaccine stockouts in 12 counties in April 2025, forcing some desperate parents to travel across borders for routine childhood vaccines. In this episode of "One Shot, Long Life!" host Abel Akara Ticha uncovers the systemic challenges threatening Kenya's immunization program with two influential voices: Hon. James Nyikal (Medical Doctor and Health Committee Member of Parliament) and Faith Ndungu (Advocacy and Communications Manager at HENNET). Discover how overdependence on donor funding, procurement delays and budget disbursement bottlenecks create a perfect storm of vaccine shortages. Learn about the personal toll—from Hon. Nyikal's domestic worker traveling to Uganda for vaccines to healthcare workers turning away hopeful mothers. Understand the dire consequences: potential measles outbreaks, permanent disabilities from polio and the loss of hard-won herd immunity. With Gavi support for Kenya ending in 2029, in principle, this episode explores urgent solutions: innovative financing through social health insurance, county-level engagement, and the critical role of parliamentary oversight. Faith Ndungu outlines how the Kenya Women's Parliamentary Association (KEWOPA) successfully advocated for Gavi co-financing payments, while Hon. Nyikal discusses legislative reforms needed to prevent future stockouts. 

« One Shot, Long Life ! » se rend à Abidjan pour son cinquième épisode afin d'explorer la question essentielle du financement durable de la vaccination en Côte d'Ivoire. Avec un financement national ne couvrant que 14,35 % du programme national de vaccination, le pays se trouve à un moment charnière alors que le soutien de partenaires comme Gavi, se retire progressivement. Le modérateur—Abel Akara Ticha—est rejoint par le Dr BROU Gbotto Raymond, Directeur de la Coordination du Programme Élargi de Vaccination (DC-PEV) en Côte d'Ivoire ; Jonas Mbwangue, Directeur Associé à la Vaccination au Global Health Advocacy Incubator ; et Luc Zikehouli Digbeu, Chargé de Plaidoyer Principal à la Fédération Nationale des Organisations de Santé de Côte d'Ivoire (FENOS-CI). La discussion aborde le contexte historique du financement de la vaccination, les graves conséquences socio-économiques du sous-financement — y compris la résurgence de maladies évitables par la vaccination — et les mesures stratégiques que le gouvernement ivoirien met en œuvre pour assurer l'avenir de son programme de vaccination. Découvrez les défis, le plan ambitieux pour augmenter l'investissement national et les efforts multisectoriels en cours pour garantir la protection de chaque enfant. « One Shot, Long Life ! » est une production du Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI) en collaboration avec son réseau d'organisations de la société civile en Afrique et en Asie.

Dans cet épisode captivant de "One Shot, Long Life", l'animatrice Assamoa Audrey s'entretient avec deux parlementaires distingués qui ont participé à la mission parlementaire cruciale  d'Istanbul organisé par Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI). L'honorable Berni Naman de Côte d'Ivoire et l'honorable Nirina Fenohery de Madagascar partagent leurs expériences et engagements suite à l'appel à l'action historique pour le financement durable de la vaccination.Découvrez comment ces leaders africains construisent des réseaux parlementaires, établissent des caucus nationaux et plaident pour un investissement domestique accru dans les programmes d'immunisation. Des objectifs de transition accélérée de la Côte d'Ivoire aux efforts de Madagascar pour réduire ses 1,2 million d'enfants zéro dose, cet épisode révèle le rôle critique des parlementaires dans la sécurisation de l'avenir sanitaire à travers l'Afrique et l'Asie.

As global donor support begins to wane, how can low- and middle-income countries ensure that every child is vaccinated? In this timely episode of One Shot, Long Life, we spotlight the aftermath of the April 2025 GHAI-convened Istanbul Parliamentary Forum, where lawmakers from 10 countries across Africa and Asia committed to champion advocacy for increasing domestic funding for immunization.Join host Abel Akara Ticha in conversation with Vandana Shah, Vice President for Health Systems Strengthening at the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI), and Hon. Amos Magaji, Chair of Nigeria’s House Committee on Healthcare Services. Together, they explore how countries can build political will, strengthen accountability and adopt innovative financing approaches—such as earmarked health taxes—to sustain immunization programs.Discover how legislators can push for timely fund releases, how better supply chains and data systems are key to vaccine delivery and why continued donor engagement remains crucial—even as countries move toward self-reliance. Hear firsthand how the Istanbul Call to Action is already influencing budgetary decisions and oversight in Nigeria and other countries.This is a conversation about leadership, equity and the very real possibility of vaccinating every child—even in high-risk, underserved communities.

« One Shot, Long Life ! » se rend à Madagascar pour son deuxième épisode, révélant une initiative locale inspirante qui transforme le financement de la vaccination. Avec seulement 0,14 % du budget de la vaccination provenant de sources nationales et 85 % de la population vivant avec moins de 2 dollars par jour, découvrez comment des femmes maires mènent des efforts pour garantir un financement durable pour les vaccinations essentielles. L'animatrice Audrey Christiane Assamoa est rejointe par le Dr Eli Ramamonjisoa, Coordinateur national du programme de vaccination de GHAI à Madagascar, et Willy Beninandiana, Secrétaire exécutif de la plateforme HINA, pour discuter des défis du sous-financement, des solutions innovantes menées par la communauté, et de la mobilisation cruciale pour l'investissement national afin de protéger la santé des enfants. Découvrez le pouvoir du leadership local pour combler le fossé de la vaccination. « One Shot, Long Life ! » est une production du Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI) en collaboration avec son réseau d'organisations de la société civile en Afrique et en Asie.

Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation, confronts a staggering $200 million annual immunization financing gap and over 2.2 million Zero-Dose Children. As the country prepares for its transition away from Gavi support by 2028, securing sustainable financing for vaccines is paramount for public health.In this inaugural episode of the "One Shot, Long Life!" podcast by GHAI, host Abel Akara Ticha dives deep into Nigeria's challenges and opportunities with leading vaccine advocacy champions: Chika Offor (CEO, Vaccine Network for Disease Control) and Prof. Emmanuel Alhassan (GHAI Country Coordinator, Nigeria).Discover the barriers hindering domestic funding for immunization, including fiscal constraints and competing priorities. Learn about innovative strategies being pursued, such as establishing a first-line charge mechanism for the health budget and kickstarting local vaccine production. Explore the vital role of CSO advocacy and budget advocacy in pushing for increased vaccine coverage, strengthening health systems, integrating immunization into primary healthcare (PHC) services, and achieving vaccine equity.Join us to understand the critical steps Nigeria is taking – and still needs to take – towards closing the immunization funding gap and ensuring a healthy future for every child. This episode explores the economic impact of immunization programs and the ongoing fight for health equity in Nigeria.