The Programmes Manager for the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) at the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr. Kwame Amponsa-Achiano, has disclosed that GHS is under pressure to vaccinate students and pupils who are below fifteen years against COVID-19.
According to Dr. Amponsa-Achiano, the vaccination for those above 15-years started in some regions last week after the Food and Drugs Authority gave approval for the vaccine to be used among the age group and this brought pressure from parents to vaccinate children below 15-years.
“We are getting pressure to vaccinate those below 15-years. We started getting pressure from parents last week. The Ashanti region started last week, Greater Accra also started last week and this week they are going to do more”.
Dr. Amponsa-Achiano
Dr. Amponsa-Achiano noted that the Service has made arrangements with the GES and all the directors for the vaccinations in schools. He noted that this isn’t just for the COVID-19 vaccination exercise but a practice that has been there whenever there is a vaccination exercise.
The GHS began the vaccination of students aged 15 years and above in various schools across the country with the Pfizer vaccine. This comes after the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) gave approval for the vaccine to be used among students in that age bracket. Originally, the administration of the Pfizer vaccine was limited to persons aged 18 years and above.
The vaccination of these persons according to GHS, is to ensure that they will be protected against the virus and ensure a safe return to full-time school after the Christmas and New Year festivities.
Dr. Amponsa-Achiano speaking on ways to reduce the pressure from the parents to vaccinate the students below 15 years revealed that there is nothing the GHS can do about it.
“In our broader plan, we are vaccinating everybody but for now, there is nothing we can do. In the broad plan, children are to be considered. So, as long as we get approval, we may extend but that will also depend on the regulators. So, for now we will stick to the 15 and above”.
Dr. Amponsa-Achiano
GHS hints on compulsory vaccination
Meanwhile, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has indicated that it will not hesitate to make vaccination for COVID-19 mandatory in the country in a bid to achieve herd immunity.
The Director General of the GHS, Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, stated that since the public has refused to take the vaccine, GHS will recommend a mandatory vaccination if the need arises.
“Yes, I am sure that with time we will get there and it is something that we have to [do] to bring this pandemic under control. We need to ensure that almost everybody is protected and if it comes to that I think we will not hesitate to recommend that”.
Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye
He stated that some companies in the country have mandated the vaccination for workers to help bring the virus under control and to ensure that everybody is protected.
The government had earlier projected to vaccinate about 20 million Ghanaians by December in a bid to achieve herd immunity. However, according to GHS data, only 3, 493,688 people have so far been vaccinated across the country.
