One Shot, Long Life!

Episode 10: How Ghana is Building its Vaccine Future

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.

Episode 9: From the Ground Up: How Local Funds Are Reinventing Zambia’s Immunization Future

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.

Episode: 8: From Stockouts to Solutions: Kenya's County-National Dialogue on Vaccine Availability

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.

Episode 7: Zambia's Bipartisan Lawmakers’ Push for Sustainable Immunization

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.

Episode 6: Reversing Kenya's Vaccine Stockouts

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.