The first shipment of vaccines to the Ghana Health Service (GHS) and the Health Ministry comes after months of a vaccine shortage.
The Information Ministry stated in a social media press release that measles vaccines, BCG vaccines, and oral polio vaccines had arrived.
Pictures of the GHS receiving the vaccines at the airport were shared by the Information Ministry, who noted that they have already begun distributing them to various facilities and regions.
The Information Ministry added, “More vaccines expected in Ghana in the coming weeks from multiple sources.” The first shipment of child immunization vaccines was received by the Ministry of Health and GHS.
Background The Ministry of Health’s failure to procure the essential BCG and OPV vaccines since the beginning of the year resulted in Ghana running out of these vaccines.
The BCG vaccine is primarily required to prevent infants from contracting tuberculosis, whereas the OPV vaccine is required to prevent polio infections.
GHS and the Ministry of Health receive the first shipment of vaccines for children. Other essential vaccines to prevent diseases like measles and whooping cough are also received. are also hard to come by.
The Paediatrics Society of Ghana announced that over 100 children in Ghana’s northern region are suspected to have contracted measles in the midst of the shortage.
Health Minister Kwaku Agyeman Manu told parliament on Friday that the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has received more than $6 million to deliver baby vaccines.
Dr. Patrick Aboagye, Director General of the Ghana Health Service (R), claims that when the vaccines are delivered, the government anticipates that the shortage will end within three weeks.
While reassuring legislators that vaccine shortages would not occur again, the minister urged them to approve vaccine funding.
He made an appeal, saying, “The assurance I will give and I can give for the first time in the Chamber is that this will not happen again.” Additionally, he said, “I will advise that you help me in my advocacy to get adequate funding for vaccines even the health insurance budget.”
