Naive adults could be paralyzed by polio – Amponsah-Achiano

The Ghana Health Service (GHS) is to roll out the second phase of polio vaccination for about 6.9 million children in Ghana beginning from 5 October, 2022.

According to the GHS, some polio viruses were found during environmental surveillance by the Ghana Health Service and currently two cases have been recorded in Savana Region and West Gonja hence a swift response by GHS to embark on vaccination of 6.9 million children under 5 years.

This was mentioned by the Programme Manager, Expanded Programme on Immunization at the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Kwame Amponsah-Achiano on 3FM Sunrise Morning Show.

“Ghana was polio free from 2008 until 2019 but unfortunately there is wind of polio blowing in the sub-region. Polio affects every body but greatly affects children other 5 years at highest risk. If you have an adult who is naïve, such a person could get polio and get paralyzed,” he stated

In his response to whether the expressed consent of parents needed to be sought before vaccinating children in schools, Dr. Amponsah-Achiano disclosed that it is enshrined in the Children’s Act and the Public Health Act for parents and guardians to allow their children to be immunized or vaccinated but in order to engender trust negotiations are done rather than applying the law.

“We normally do not have to write to parents to seek their consent for vaccination. By law, we really don’t need letters like that but of course for vaccination and other exercises we need negotiations for people to understand” Dr. Achiano emphasised

Source: 3news.com|Ghana