Accra: Prof Dr Grace Ayensu-Danquah, Deputy Minister of Health, has announced Ghana's commitment to achieving health sovereignty and accelerating malaria elimination through technology-driven innovations.
According to Ghana News Agency, the Deputy Minister emphasized that malaria elimination is not only a health priority but an economic investment, as eradicating the disease could significantly boost Africa's economic growth.
The announcement was made at a regional workshop organized by Sora Technology in collaboration with the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) in Accra. The workshop, themed 'From Mapping to Action: Tech-Enabled LSM for Malaria Elimination,' aimed to share experiences, best practices, and lessons learned from different countries while showcasing Ghana's progress in leveraging technology to support malaria elimination efforts.
Dr Ayensu-Danquah highlighted that despite decades of global progress, malaria remains a persistent public health threat, claiming about 610,000 lives in 2024, with most deaths occurring in Africa. The global funding gap for malaria control stands at 5.4 billion dollars, with only 42 percent of required resources currently available, while international health assistance continues to decline.
Ghana's national response has shown significant results. Under the National Malaria Elimination Strategic Plan 2024-2028, the country recorded 74 malaria-related deaths in 2024, compared with 151 in 2022. The country has also achieved a 97 percent reduction in malaria deaths since 2012, when nearly 2,800 fatalities were recorded.
The Deputy Minister identified technology-enabled Larval Source Management (LSM) as a critical innovation to complement existing interventions like insecticide-treated nets, indoor residual spraying, and effective case management, particularly in urban and pre-elimination settings. She noted the cost-effectiveness of the approach, with technology-enabled LSM providing protection at between 24 and 44 cents per person, compared to traditional indoor spraying costing about 6.70 dollars per person.
The intervention is seen as essential in addressing emerging threats, including the detection of the invasive Asian mosquito, Anopheles stephensi, in Accra in 2023. This mosquito breeds in artificial water containers and urban environments, posing new challenges to traditional malaria control strategies. Dr Ayensu-Danquah cited Djibouti's experience, where malaria cases surged dramatically after the spread of this vector, warning of increased malaria risk for up to 126 million urban Africans.
She called for practical implementation plans, monitoring frameworks, and sustainable financing pathways to scale up technology-enabled malaria elimination programs, aligning with President John Dramani Mahama's 'Accra Reset' vision. Dr Ayensu-Danquah pledged Ghana's commitment to building domestic capacity, strengthening partnerships, and deploying innovative solutions for a malaria-free future.
The workshop gathered malaria program managers from various countries to share experiences and best practices. Hiroshi Yoshimoto, Japan's Ambassador to Ghana, urged African countries to adopt better use of science and technology in the fight against malaria. Dr Fiona Braka, WHO Country Representative to Ghana, emphasized the need for data-driven, evidence-based LSM using innovative tools like AI, drones, and remote sensing to achieve malaria elimination.