Paediatrics ask government to replenish stocks of childhood vaccine beyond catch-up numbers

Accra-Ghana, March 16, GNA – The Paediatric Society of Ghana (PSG) has asked the government to ensure that stocks of the childhood vaccines are replenished beyond the catch-up numbers required.
It said this was important to prevent further shortages in future as the PSG was unable to confirm the number of vaccines that have been brought in to address the vaccine shortage and that the existing procurement procedures and financing needed to be reviewed.
In a statement copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) the PSG recommended ring-fencing financing of childhood vaccines to prevent a recurrence of vaccine shortages in Ghana.
It, however, acknowledged the Government’s effort at resolving the vaccine shortage by procuring the vaccines for childhood immunisation for the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI).
It said the vaccines have been dispatched to facilities in need and commended the call on Ghanaians to not pay for these childhood vaccines at the various centres, adding that there was enough local capacity to store and distribute the vaccines.
“We will continue to do everything within our means to support efforts by the Ministry of Health (MOH), Ghana Health Service (GHS), and partners to ensure that every child is immunized under the EPI. We will continue to monitor the vaccine availability in the country till complete resolution of the situation,” it stated.
The PSG appealed to the MOH and the GHS to provide the resources to manage the measles outbreak in parts of the country.
These include identifying the infected early, expediting laboratory confirmation and improving care of all affected individuals especially the high-risk groups, while addressing the outstanding issues, the statement said.