The Acting Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, has assured parents across the country that the ongoing Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination exercise is safe, free, and well monitored to protect every Ghanaian girl between the ages of 9 and 14 years.
Speaking during his inspection tour of vaccination centres in the Volta Region, Dr Kaba emphasised that the government, under the directive of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has mandated the GHS to closely monitor the exercise nationwide to ensure no child experiences any adverse effects.
“On behalf of the President, we have been directed to go around the entire country to monitor this exercise to make sure that none of our kids get sick and that they receive the best of attention,” he said.
“We are monitoring the post-vaccination period very carefully so that any side effect, if it occurs, can be dealt with immediately.”
Dr Kaba explained that the vaccine being administered is not new to Ghana. Between 2013 and 2018, a successful pilot project was conducted in parts of the country, and many families even paid to have their daughters vaccinated.
“These vaccines have been used before, even right here in Ghana, and they proved very successful,” he noted. “The difference this time is that His Excellency has directed that it be given free of charge, because every child counts, they are the future of this nation.”
The Acting Director-General reaffirmed that the HPV vaccine is approved by the Food and Drug Authority (FDA) and has been used safely across the world, including by his own family members.
“These vaccines are safe my daughter and my niece have received them, and you saw the Deputy Minister of Health take hers. Parents should not be worried,” he added.
Dr Kaba described the vaccination campaign as a collaborative success between the Ghana Health Service and the Ghana Education Service (GES), stressing that the two institutions have been working hand-in-hand to ensure smooth coordination in all schools.
He further revealed that the exercise, which began earlier in the week, is progressing steadily across all regions. “So far, after day one and day two, we’ve had very high coverage, and the reports from across the country are encouraging,” he said.
“We have not had any reactions from any child, and we hope not to have any, because the vaccines are safe. This is the way to go to save our children and ensure a healthier, cancer-free future.”
Dr Kaba said the vaccination currently targets girls aged 9 to 14 years, with plans to expand the coverage in subsequent phases. The GHS estimates that over 2.2 million girls nationwide fall within the targeted age range.
“Our goal is to make sure that every girl child gets the protection she deserves. This is an investment in the future health and productivity of our nation,” he stressed.
During the inspection, Dr Kaba was accompanied by the Volta Regional Director of Health Service, Dr Emmanuel Atsu Dodor, and other regional health officials. He noted that all regional and municipal directors have been deployed to the field to supervise the rollout in their respective areas.
“No regional director is sitting in the office everyone is on the ground. I’m here in Volta, others are in Takoradi, Accra, and other regions. We are ensuring that no child is left behind,” he said.
Dr Kaba concluded by appealing to parents and guardians to support the campaign, emphasising that the HPV vaccine is not only a public health intervention but also a national duty to safeguard Ghana’s future generation.
“This is for our own children and for the development of our country. Let’s all support it. When we vaccinate every girl today, we are preventing tomorrow’s suffering from cervical cancer,” he urged.
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