President Akufo-Addo has assured that the government is working assiduously to procure and supply vaccines to health facilities as a matter of emergency.
Parents of unvaccinated babies are being turned away from health facilities over the shortage of the vaccines.
Vaccines for measles, polio, and tetanus have not been available for a while now due to financial challenges.
However, presenting to Parliament the State of the Nation on Wednesday March 8, 2023, President Akufo-Addo expressed worry over the shortage of childhood vaccines.
“Mr. Speaker, I must say, however, that the current shortage of some childhood vaccines in the country has concerned me greatly. 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.
“In accordance with our desire not to become part of this global trend, 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,” President Akufo-Addo assured.
He continued: “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.”
