Prez Greatly Concerned by Shortage In Childhood Vaccines

It seems the shortage of some routine immunisation vaccines in the country is not a worrying development for parents only but the president as well.

He expressed concerns while presenting a message on the state of the nation on Wednesday, March 8, 2023.

The Ghana Health Service (GHS) recently confirmed poliovirus vaccine, the BCG vaccine and the measles-rubella vaccine have run out in the country.

This has become frustrating for some mothers who are due to get their babies and children immunised.

Such parents have been moving from one health facility to another scouting for vaccines.

It has become more frustrating in the Northern region where there have been reported cases of measles.

The challenge was blamed on the cedi depreciation by the GHS.

“We were to procure in the fourth quarter of the year for 2023 but due to the currency fluctuations, the funds available in cedis could not meet up”, the Director of the GHS, Dr Patrick Kuma Aboagye is quoted as saying.

At a press conference on Tuesday, March 7, the Minister for Health, Kwaku Agyemang Manu failed to give a specific timeline for the supply of the vaccine.

Addressing Parliament, President Akufo-Addo said he is greatly concerned by the turn of events.

“This shortage, if prolonged, will affect negatively Ghana’s Childhood Immunisation Programme, which has been recognised as one of the most successful in the world. The WHO has only recently expressed worry about a steady decline in measles vaccination coverage globally, because of the concentration on the fight against COVID-19.”

As a proactive measure, he said, the government has taken steps to ensure that stocks of these vaccines are procured and supplied, as a matter of emergency.

“The Ghana Health Service has developed an elaborate programme to catch up on children who have missed their vaccinations immediately stocks arrive. Mr Speaker, I want to encourage all parents and caregivers to ensure that eligible children are vaccinated, once this programme begins. No child should be denied access to vaccination. Mercifully, so far, not a single child has died as a result of the outbreak.”

Source: opemsuo.com/Hajara Fuseini