Ghana receives $6m from US govt to combat malaria

The United States Government, through the U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), has provided $6 million (GH₵87 million) for spraying households against malaria-carrying mosquitoes in northern Ghana, known as indoor residual spraying (IRS).

This year’s spraying campaign covered over 440,000 households across 10 districts in the Northern and North East Regions, protecting more than one million Ghanaians, including pregnant women and children under five years of age, who are particularly vulnerable to malaria.

“This marks the 17th year in a row that the U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative has supported Ghana’s Indoor Residual Spraying campaign,” said U.S. Global Malaria Coordinator Dr. David Walton, who observed and participated in this year’s campaign in the Kumbungu district of the Northern Region.  “Beyond spraying, we are also collaborating with the government to ensure that Ghanaians have access to bed nets, preventive treatment for pregnant women and children, malaria testing and treatment services across the country, and trained health workers to manage malaria,” Dr. Walton added.

Since 2008, the United States has contributed over $460 million (6.6 billion Ghana Cedis) to Ghana’s malaria response. This support has reduced the infection rates of malaria. For example, malaria prevalence in children under five years of age dropped from 27.5 percent in 2011 to 8.6 percent in 2022.

In January 2024, Ghana launched its National Malaria Elimination Strategic Plan. USAID and PMI fully support Ghana’s plan to achieve near zero malaria deaths by 2030. 

The United States is Ghana’s largest development partner.  In 2023, USAID provided over $90 million to Ghana’s health sector for malaria, maternal, newborn, and child health, HIV, global health security, and more.

PMI is led by USAID and implemented together with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).