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.

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.

« One Shot, Long Life ! » se rend à Abidjan pour son cinquième épisode afin d'explorer la question essentielle du financement durable de la vaccination en Côte d'Ivoire. Avec un financement national ne couvrant que 14,35 % du programme national de vaccination, le pays se trouve à un moment charnière alors que le soutien de partenaires comme Gavi, se retire progressivement. Le modérateur—Abel Akara Ticha—est rejoint par le Dr BROU Gbotto Raymond, Directeur de la Coordination du Programme Élargi de Vaccination (DC-PEV) en Côte d'Ivoire ; Jonas Mbwangue, Directeur Associé à la Vaccination au Global Health Advocacy Incubator ; et Luc Zikehouli Digbeu, Chargé de Plaidoyer Principal à la Fédération Nationale des Organisations de Santé de Côte d'Ivoire (FENOS-CI).

La discussion aborde le contexte historique du financement de la vaccination, les graves conséquences socio-économiques du sous-financement — y compris la résurgence de maladies évitables par la vaccination — et les mesures stratégiques que le gouvernement ivoirien met en œuvre pour assurer l'avenir de son programme de vaccination. Découvrez les défis, le plan ambitieux pour augmenter l'investissement national et les efforts multisectoriels en cours pour garantir la protection de chaque enfant. « One Shot, Long Life ! » est une production du Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI) en collaboration avec son réseau d'organisations de la société civile en Afrique et en Asie.