Ghana has recorded significant decline in malaria deaths, the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, has announced.
Malaria deaths dropped from 3,259 in 2011 to 52 in 2025, representing a 98 percent reduction, the Ghana Health Service said as Ghana joined the rest of the world to mark World Malaria Day 2026 on Saturday.
In remarks delivered on his behalf at a durbar to commemorate in Accra, the Director of Public Health at the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Franklin Asiedu-Bekoe, said the gains reflect steady progress in Ghana’s efforts toward malaria elimination.
He highlighted a significant decline in child malaria fatalities, which have fallen by 76 percent in just three years, while the introduction of RTS,S and R21 into routine immunization is further protecting children, with first-dose coverage reaching 78.3 percent.
National Malaria Champion, Oheneyere Gifty Anti, called for a united national effort, stressing the need for collective will across all sectors. She also urged political leaders to prioritize malaria elimination in budgets, encouraged the private sector to view malaria investments as critical to productivity, and called on families to support prevention efforts.
The 2026 World Malaria Day began with a health walk from the University of Ghana Business School through the principal streets of Madina and adjoining communities, ending at the University of Ghana Sports Directorate.
