One in every five children in Ghana still do not receive all the basic vaccines they need despite the country’s significant achievements in immunisation.

According to the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI), progress in vaccination coverage in recent years had stalled due to the numerous challenges related to health system and health emergencies of global and regional significance.

The EPI made this known during the commemoration of the 6th African Vaccination and 11th Child Health Promotion Week in Accra on the theme: ‘Good Life, Start Right; Close The Immunisation Gap’, with the slogan: ‘Stay Polio Free’.

Dr George Bonsu, EPI programme manager, speaking at the event aimed at creating more awareness about the importance of immunisation, said vaccination had conquered vaccine preventable diseases like neonatal tetanus, polio, measles, pneumonia and diarrhoea.

“Immunisation has contributed to the reduction of under-five mortality from 111 per 1000 live births in 2003 to 60 per 1000 in 2014,” he said.

Dr Bonsu, however, mentioned that the threat of vaccine preventable diseases like polio still exist since there are pockets of children who are not being reached with vaccinations and one tenth of children in Ghana do not receive the third dose of oral polio vaccine.

Dr Owen Kaluwa, World Health Organisation (WHO) country representative, in his remarks on behalf of development partners, commended the Ghanaian government for taking steps to ensure that immunisation is translated into national priorities and actions.

He, however, indicated that last year close to 60,000 children representing five percent of children less than one year did not receive their third dose of the pentavalent, oral polio and the pneumococcal vaccines in Ghana.

Dr Kaluwa said in addition, two municipalities out of the 216 districts and municipalities in the country also recorded very low coverage of less than 50 percent of the pentavalent vaccine.

Lordina Mahama, First Lady of Ghana, in a speech read on her behalf, said the diseases which have been eliminated by vaccination have not vanished and may rise again if stakeholders slack in their efforts.

“Let us close the immunisation gap by making it possible for every child in Ghana to receive the full complement of vaccinations at the scheduled times,” she said.

Child Health Promotion Week

This year’s child health promotion week began on May 9 at the various health facilities across the country.

The week provides child health services, including birth registration of children under one year, distribution of free insecticide treated nets (ITNs), growth promotion (weighing), feeding advice, vitamin A supplementation and immunisation against childhood diseases free-of-charge.

National Child Health Coordinator, Dr Edward Antwi, giving an overview of child health in the country, urged all stakeholders to make use of the facilities for the free services, especially during the week.