A vaccine refridgerator meant to store Vaccines in the Kologo Health centre in the Kassena Nankana municipality of the Upper East Region has been broken down.
According to Abangebase Ajegeko, a superintendent community health nurse at the Kologo health centre, the refridgerator which has broken down for the past three months is affecting health delivery in the health centre and four other health facilities in the sub- municipality especially that of the malaria vaccine.
“we don’t have a vaccine fridge, the whole sub municipal we are using a table fridge to monitor the vaccine which is not the best , we have even reported it to the health directorate but they are also telling us that they have no right to repair the fridge without national notice , so they have also reported to the highest authority that some of the fridges are down, now that table top fridge I’m talking of, is what is now used to caterer all the vaccines for sub-municipal, the thermometer inside the tabletop fridge cannot store the vaccine and because the fridge is meant for the vaccine it wastes the vaccine because the vaccine keeps on spoiling, so most of the time if a child is due for a dose and the temperature of the vaccine is at danger point we don’t use it” he lamented.
The situation is making it difficult for staff to meet their target of administering the vaccine. So far, about 165 children have taken their final doses with 381 children taking the third dose, 297 children have taken the second dose and 276 children have been vaccinated for the first dose.
The kologo sub- municipal which comprises Naaga, Zuo, Zoongo and St Martins health facilities recorded about 3,776 outpatient cases for malaria children under five years from January to November 2022 with Naaga recording 258 cases, Zuo 184 , Zoongo 120 , St Martins 1,762 and Kologo health centre recorded 1,454.
According to Abangebase, the high figures of malaria cases for children under five years could be as a result of parents not using the insecticide mosquito bed nets and the correct usage of the malaria drugs.
Word news visits to the Wuru CHPS in the Kassena Nankana municipality revealed that most women and caregivers do not turn up for fourth malaria dose after their children attain two years, they feel reluctant to visit the facilities for postnatal care and some parents even travel outside the community.
According to Mrs Ernestina Atanga a public health nurse and sub-municipal leader of the Wuru Community Health Planning and Services, CHPS, parents unwillingness to turn up with their children for the final dose is their biggest challenge.
“one of our biggest challenge is that, after nine months, they do not have any immunization again, so the women feel so reluctant to come back when the child is two years that is 24 months for the RTSS4 so that is a big challenge to us.
According to Mr. Guido Bamere, the Kassena Nankana Municipal disease control officer, about 2,308 children between zero to eleven months were vaccinated for the first dose representing a coverage of 56.6%, 2,297 children between zero to eleven also vaccinated representing a coverage of 55.9%, 2, 427 children within the ages zero to eleven months were vaccinated representing coverage of 59.6 % and 1,296 children between the ages of two years were also vaccinated for the fourth dose representing coverage of 31.8 %.
Mr Guido noted that since the rollout of the malaria vaccines (RTSS) in the municipality which started in 2019 with RTSS 1,2&3. As in the implementation year 2019, the patronage was very low as it was the first time of the rollout.
RTSS 4 was also set in 2020 when some children turned 24 months, as the number of children vaccinated was low compared to other years.
Challenges Confronting the Implementation include
“Caregivers’ misinformation/perception of the malaria vaccines that the vaccines will harm their children.
Some caregivers do not turn out after they have taken measle rubella 2& Men A and that slows down RTSS 4 at age 24 months”
Intervention
According to the municipal health directorate will be to organize series of health education to the general public on the importance of malaria vaccines both on
radio discussion on malaria vaccines and
a house-house strategy for defaulters especially RTSS 4.
Gaspard Ayuureneeya