Malaria deaths in Ghana drops by 98% according to GHS

Nii Ayitey Brown 10:05 - 27 April 2026

Ghana has recorded a 98% drop in malaria deaths, according to the Ghana Health Service, as health officials and WHO push for intensified efforts toward full malaria elimination.

Ghana has reduced malaria deaths by 98%, falling from 3,259 in 2011 to just 52 in 2025, according to the Ghana Health Service.
Health officials say progress is driven by vaccines like RTS,S and R21, improved treatment, and stronger prevention efforts, especially for children under five.
Stakeholders, including the World Health Organization, are urging sustained urgency and stronger community action as Ghana pushes toward malaria elimination.

Ghana has recorded a dramatic decline in malaria-related deaths, with fatalities dropping from 3,259 in 2011 to just 52 in 2025 which translates to a 98 percent reduction, according to the Ghana Health Service.

The figures were disclosed by the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, in remarks delivered on his behalf during a durbar to mark World Malaria Day 2026 in Accra.

The Director of Public Health at GHS, Franklin Asiedu-Bekoe, said the sharp decline reflects years of sustained interventions and signals that malaria elimination in Ghana is now within reach.

He revealed that child malaria deaths have also seen a significant drop, falling by 76 percent over the past 3 years.

The introduction of malaria vaccines including RTS,S and R21, into routine immunisation programmes is further strengthening protection, with first-dose coverage reaching 78.3 percent nationwide.

Despite the milestone, he warned that delays in scaling up interventions could still cost lives and undermine economic productivity, describing malaria elimination as both a health and national development priority.

He commended the End Malaria Council and the Free Primary Health Care programme as critical to sustaining momentum and strengthening domestic ownership of the fight.

According to the World Health Organization, malaria remains one of the leading causes of outpatient visits in Ghana, particularly affecting children under five and pregnant women.

However, the introduction of vaccines and strengthened health systems have significantly reduced severe cases and deaths in recent years.

The 2026 World Malaria Day commemoration began with a health walk from the University of Ghana Business School through the streets of Madina and surrounding communities, ending at the University of Ghana Sports Directorate, where the durbar was held.

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