Hope For Future Generation (HFFG), a non-governmental organization with health as one of its focus areas, has organized a media workshop to help journalists become champions for long-term vaccine funding.
The sensitization is in line with the Financing Immunization Advocacy Response (FAIR) project of the organization.
The goal of the FAIR project is to push for increased domestic resource mobilization and accountability for results in reaching zero-dose children and boosting vaccination coverage, including new vaccines.
This is a five-year national campaign with sub-national programs in the Volta, Eastern, and Bono Regions.
Implemented by Hope For Future Generation, the project has SEND Ghana and Socio Serve Ghana as partners.
The sensitization was held on December 27, 2023, at the Crystal Palm Hotel in Accra.
It brought together reporters and editors to recommend ways the media may help Ghana overcome the obstacles associated with supporting its Expanded Programmes on Immunization.
Essentially, the media is being recognized as a positive change catalyst through which Ghana can successfully terminate its reliance on donor aid and achieve self-sufficiency.
Cecilia Senoo, Chief Executive Officer of Hope For Future Generation, said, “I know what the media can do with all that we have discussed. So, this is going to help us achieve the project goal and objectives. We are going back as an organization to look at all the proposals. The foundation welcomes recommendations in the next phase of the project because of the critical things the media has given us to consider.”
HFFG is committed to working with the Ghanaian government and other stakeholders to drive vaccination efforts, public health goals, and sustainable development to forestall any potential public health disaster.
The Foundation encourages the media, civil society organizations, religious bodies, politicians, the general public, and all key stakeholders to join the advocacy campaign to support Ghana’s immunization initiatives.
Call to Action
It is expected that the government will adopt new mechanisms of sustainable funding beyond foreign donors.
Also, alternative avenues can be considered to enhance financing immunization, such as trust funds and earmarked taxes.
However, the pursuit of secondary sources should not distract governments and advocates from ensuring adequate and sustainable allocations from the general health budget, both for immunization and Primary Health Care.
“Immunization Sovereignty should be the goal. Let’s mobilize and support the effective use of domestic resources on a reliable basis to achieve current and future immunization targets,” Stephen Atasige from the Global Health Advocacy Incubator charged.
