One Shot, Long Life!

Abel Akara Ticha, Global Health Advocacy Incubator

One shot, Long Life! is a podcast focused on The Global Health Advocacy Incubator's (GHAI) and its partner CSOs' Immunization Budget Advocacy program, aiming to boost advocacy for domestic funding and accountability to reach zero-dose children and improve immunization coverage across many low- and middle-income countries. Through conversational interviews, it seeks to elevate thought leadership and foster knowledge exchange among policymakers, donors, and health officials to strengthen immunization efforts in low- and middle-income countries.

Episodes

  1. Episode 7: Zambia's Bipartisan Lawmakers’ Push for Sustainable Immunization

    OCT 30

    Episode 7: Zambia's Bipartisan Lawmakers’ Push for Sustainable Immunization

    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.

    45 min
  2. Episode 6: Reversing Kenya's Vaccine Stockouts

    AUG 13

    Episode 6: Reversing Kenya's Vaccine Stockouts

    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.

    29 min
  3. Episode 5: Financer la Vaccination en Côte d'Ivoire : Un Impératif National

    JUL 10

    Episode 5: Financer la Vaccination en Côte d'Ivoire : Un Impératif National

    « 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.

    27 min
  4. Episode 1: Nigeria Beyond Gavi's Immunization Financing Support

    MAY 6

    Episode 1: Nigeria Beyond Gavi's Immunization Financing Support

    Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation, confronts a staggering $200 million annual immunization financing gap and over 2.2 million Zero-Dose Children. As the country prepares for its transition away from Gavi support by 2028, securing sustainable financing for vaccines is paramount for public health. In this inaugural episode of the "One Shot, Long Life!" podcast by GHAI, host Abel Akara Ticha dives deep into Nigeria's challenges and opportunities with leading vaccine advocacy champions: Chika Offor (CEO, Vaccine Network for Disease Control) and Prof. Emmanuel Alhassan (GHAI Country Coordinator, Nigeria). Discover the barriers hindering domestic funding for immunization, including fiscal constraints and competing priorities. Learn about innovative strategies being pursued, such as establishing a first-line charge mechanism for the health budget and kickstarting local vaccine production. Explore the vital role of CSO advocacy and budget advocacy in pushing for increased vaccine coverage, strengthening health systems, integrating immunization into primary healthcare (PHC) services, and achieving vaccine equity. Join us to understand the critical steps Nigeria is taking – and still needs to take – towards closing the immunization funding gap and ensuring a healthy future for every child. This episode explores the economic impact of immunization programs and the ongoing fight for health equity in Nigeria.

    32 min

About

One shot, Long Life! is a podcast focused on The Global Health Advocacy Incubator's (GHAI) and its partner CSOs' Immunization Budget Advocacy program, aiming to boost advocacy for domestic funding and accountability to reach zero-dose children and improve immunization coverage across many low- and middle-income countries. Through conversational interviews, it seeks to elevate thought leadership and foster knowledge exchange among policymakers, donors, and health officials to strengthen immunization efforts in low- and middle-income countries.