Mr. Kwaku Agyemang-Manu, the Health Minister, is set to inform Parliament today, March 7, of the efforts being taken to alleviate the country’s lack of pediatric immunizations.
Many sections of the nation have experienced vaccine shortages in recent months, despite assurances by the National Health Insurance Authority that approximately GH70 million had been set aside for vaccine procurement.
The worrying scenario has sparked the interest of Nana Ayew Afriyie, Head of Parliament’s Health Committee, who sees the need to summon the Minister of Health and other agency heads to an emergency meeting on Tuesday, February 28.
The Health Minister, who was scheduled to be present in the House on February 28, 2023, did not appear, enraging the Minority.
The absence of the Health Minister was termed as insulting by Mohamed Mubarak Muntaka, a former Minority Chief Whip and member of Parliament’s Health Committee.
He argued that Mr. Agyemang-Manu should be summoned for insulting Parliament’s Health Committee.
The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has admitted vaccination shortages and blamed the problem on the cedi’s wild decline against major trade currencies, particularly the dollar.
The reports, according to the Paediatric Society of Ghana, are simply the tip of the iceberg, as other facilities are reporting a measles epidemic.
According to Frank Annoh-Dompreh, the Majority Chief Whip in Parliament, the government would take stock of some measles vaccines from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in the next week.
Meanwhile, former President John Dramani Mahama has asked President Nana Akufo-Addo to divert cash intended for this year’s Independence Day celebrations to address the country’s scarcity of child immunisations.
