No Vaccine: Keep newborns from public space — Adomako Kissi

No Vaccine: Keep newborns from public space — Adomako Kissi

Member of Parliament for Anyaa Sowutuom, Dr. Dickson Adomako Kissi, says babies are at risk of contracting diseases in the wake of the no-vaccine syndrome, therefore, parents should desist from exposing them to public space.

He said it is the safest precautionary measure for parents with newborns to take to prevent the unfortunate.

It’s been more than six months and vaccines needed for newborn children in hospitals are still far-fetched.

Three crucial vaccines needed to combat childhood killer diseases are scarce in several hospitals, causing a threat to the lives of newborns.

The President of Ghana, Nana Akufo Addo in his State of the Nation Address stated that arrangements are underway to procure some vaccines and distributed them to the hospitals.

However, some GH¢72 million reportedly released to the Ministry of Health for the purchase of these essential vaccines for babies cannot be accounted for.

The Anyaa Sowutuom MP who doubles as a medical doctor alluded that payment made for the vaccines was to actually offset loans with their manufacturers which on the contrary caused the shortage of the vaccine.

But Member of Parliament for the North Tongu District, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, blames the situation on the government for failing to prioritize the needs of the country.

According to him, this issue would not have risen to the public domain if priorities were set right as a country.

‘’it is one of the areas I have been focusing on in Parliament. We should set our priorities right. It is really not an issue of not having enough as a country, it is how we prioritize, it is what we do with what we have.’’

Speaking on Good Morning Ghana on Metro TV, Mr. Adomako described the situation as unfortunate, stating that he understands the dire implication of not having the vaccine.

However, he stated that issues like this have necessitated a joint decision to put in a bill to strengthen vaccine production in Ghana. And this is in hopes to see Ghana produce its own vaccine in the long run.

The BCG vaccine is primarily needed to prevent the occurrence of tuberculosis in babies, while the OPV is to prevent polio infections.

Other essential vaccines to prevent diseases such as measles and whooping cough are also in short supply.

On Tuesday, February 28, officials of the Health Ministry and the Ghana Health Service, while addressing parliament’s committee on health, blamed their failure to procure the much-needed vaccines on various factors, including the recent rapid cedi depreciation.

By Leonora Enyonam Annoh | Metrotvonline.com | Ghana

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