Two districts in the Upper East Region have benefited from a malaria vaccination exercise being piloted by the Ghana Health Service (GHS).
The two districts are the Kassena-Nankana Municipality and the Kassena-Nankana West District.
An officer in charge of the Africa Lead Vaccine Implementation, John Bawa, told Word News in Bolgatanga that the pilot exercise was also being carried out in the Ahafo, Bono, Bono East, Central, Oti and Volta regions. The exercise is targeting 171,000 children within the ages of six months in 42 districts in Ghana.
Mr Bawa says the pilot programme is facing some challenges especially with regard to some parents migrating to the southern part of the country with their children after taking the first dose without leaving behind a track to their whereabouts.
He said 8,121 children in both the Kassena-Nankana Municipality and the Kassena-Nankana West District had received the first dose by 2020, representing about 60%, whilst the achievements in the other regions were ranging from 70% to 85%.
“The actual impact is yet to be measured. In fact, by the middle of this year, we will have enough data to be able to assess and know the actual impact. But what I can say is that so far for the children who have received the malaria vaccine, there have not been any reports about any adverse reactions. These children are followed up periodically to be able to know whether they are having any reaction from the vaccine,” Mr Bawa stated.
He added that the Ministry of Health was partnering with the GHS to make sure that the exercise was done with the right category of children.
According to the Ghana National Malaria Control Programmed (NMCP), malaria kills at least 3 children every day and tops Out-Patients Department (OPD) cases in Ghana, a reason the disease needs optimum attention. Each child is supposed to take 4 doses.
“Initially, parents were a bit skeptical because they thought the vaccine was not good for their children but after we showed the data and discussed it with them, parents whose children took the first doses are back themselves to take the second dose,” he added.
However, the pilot exercise, which is also being run in Kenya and Malawi, will be broadened to other districts in Ghana based on the Government of Ghana with advice from the Ministry of Health.
Mr Bawa cautioned parents to not relax after taking the full doses but to sure they and their children still sleep under the treated bed nets.
Gaspard Ayuureneeya.