From the beginning of the year, health practitioners and researchers have bemoaned a nationwide lack of child immunization vaccinations.
Despite assurances from the Ghana Health Service (GHS) that the vaccinations will be restocked shortly, the situation does not appear to be calming tensions. This is owing to the vaccinations’ crucial nature, as well as the spread of measles in various sections of the country.
In an interview with JoyNews, Dr. Hilda Manteybea Boye, President-elect of the Pediatric Society of Ghana, stated that “we risk having children die” as a result of the scarcity.
As a result, she has encouraged the Ghana Health Service to act quickly.
“It is the action that we are looking for. So whatever it will take for them to get us the vaccines like today, because every day we risk having children die from this shortage,” she said.
Measles cases have been reported in 16 districts in the Northern Region.
As a result of a lack of infant immunizations, over 100 measles cases have been reported in northern Ghana.
Professor Alhassan Abdul Mumin, Chief of Pediatrics and Child Health at the Tamale Teaching Hospital, verified the measles outbreak, adding that no area in the Northern Region has not documented a measles outbreak for the majority of children born since 2022.
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Dr. Hardy Abdullah, a neurosurgeon and General Secretary of the Islamic Medical Society of Ghana, believes the scarcity might have an effect on a child’s nervous system development.
“The long-term effects, especially measles and Rubella could have an impact on the baby’s central nervous system. And so as a country, the fact that we can’t get the vaccine is unfortunate.”
As a result, health professionals and practitioners are increasing pressure on the government to obtain the three essential vaccines for infants.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Kwaku Agyeman-Manu came in Parliament to update the House on the situation.
SOURCE: myjoyonline
