Ghana faces $78.2 million health funding gap after US aid suspension

Accra, Ghana – Ghana was among the first African nations to introduce the RTS,S malaria vaccine into its routine immunization schedule. In Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi, the vaccine has been linked to a 13% reduction in mortality among eligible children, with roughly one in eight deaths prevented.

However, sustaining these gains requires more than just vaccines. Health workers must still reach children, track down those who missed doses, and safely deliver vaccines to communities. That work is now under severe strain.

Severe health budget shortfall

The suspension of USAID programs has left Ghana facing an estimated $156 million gap across affected initiatives, including a $78.2 million shortfall in health. The health budget previously supported malaria control, maternal and child health, nutrition, family planning, and HIV prevention services. The disruption has also raised concerns about the system that maintains routine immunization.

A study on aid withdrawal in northern Ghana found that 75% of surveyed districts reported delayed or irregular vaccine supplies. The research also highlighted shortages of cold-chain equipment, transport kits, and fuel.

Calls for health financing reform

Nana Owusu Ensaw, municipal health director for Akuapim North, argues Ghana should use this financial shock as an opportunity to reconsider how it pays for healthcare. He described the $78 million gap left by USAID's closure as significant but also a chance to restructure health financing. The Ghana Health Fund (MahamaCares) is expanding access to specialist care, and the private sector needs to become more involved.

John Yabani, medical director at Banahene Specialty Hospital, said private providers are ready to play a larger role, especially in medical tourism, but private investment cannot immediately replace public health infrastructure to maintain immunization in remote communities.

Differing views on aid cuts

An unnamed government official told Al Jazeera that he had long felt uneasy about African nations relying on Western governments to fund basic healthcare. He views the aid cuts as an opportunity for Ghana to mobilize its own domestic resources.

George Kwame Egeh, co-founder of the Humserve Africa Foundation, said his organization has always relied on local funding from Ghanaian colleagues and businesses to support health, and he believes civil society groups can fill the gap left by USAID.

Concerns in the Oti region and other hard-to-reach areas

In the Oti region, where many rural communities near the border are difficult to access, worries are especially acute. A 2025 study found that basic immunization coverage in Oti stands at 85.3%, while coverage according to the national schedule is only 62.1%.

Mark Appiah, chair of the Oti Regional Health Committee, warned that financial pressures could affect outreach activities, tracing of missed children, transportation, monitoring, and vaccination campaigns. He stressed: “A child should not lose protection against a preventable disease simply because the health system is facing financial difficulties.”

Seeking domestic solutions amid dual pressures

Rahinatu, a mother in northern Ghana whose child has benefited from vaccination, said the funding gap has created real challenges for her community, but she remains hopeful the government will find a suitable solution soon.

Ghana is rapidly transitioning away from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and is expected to take full financial responsibility for its immunization program by 2030. Meanwhile, Gavi itself faces financial pressure, with its 2026–2030 strategy aiming to boost financial sustainability and increase country contributions during transitions.

The Ghanaian government has begun responding by removing the cap on funding from the National Health Insurance Scheme and supporting local vaccine manufacturing capacity, but these changes will take time. As health ministers and senior officials from 47 WHO African member states meet in Addis Ababa, Ghana’s experience raises a difficult question: how quickly can governments build financial independence without letting child health services weaken?

Appiah’s message is clear: “No child in the Oti region will be denied life-saving vaccinations because of where they live or because of temporary funding gaps.”