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 co...

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 A...

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. 

T...

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 law...

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...

« 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...

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'Ivo...

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 co...

« 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...

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...