By Emmanuel Gamson
Sekondi (W/R), Nov. 21, GNA – The Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Directorate of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has called on parents within the Metropolis, to avail their infants from zero to fifty-nine months for the second dose of the novel oral polio vaccines.
Dr Pius Mensah, the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Director of the GHS, who made the call during a media engagement, said the vaccines were safe and effective with no post-vaccination health complications, and encouraged parents to ensure they fully participated in the exercise.
The GHS is embarking on round two of a nationwide polio vaccination exercise from November 21 to 24, for children under age five, to augment an initial one held last month to offer extra immunity for the children against the polio diseases.
In that regard, the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Health Directorate is targeting about 46, 915 children during the four-day exercise.
Dr Mensah said the vaccination campaign was part of efforts by the GHS and its partners to end the polio transmission within communities and ensure good health for these age group of children who were mostly susceptible to the virus.
He said the first round was largely successful within the Metropolis, however, the vaccination team faced some form of resistance from some parents and guardians.
“We are asking parents to avail their children for this important exercise because we want to give extra protection to the children against the polio virus, so that we can eradicate its transmission in our communities,” he said.
Mr Osei Boakye, a Disease Control Officer, said as part of their strategies to ensure they met their target, they would deploy a mobile team who would visit the various houses, schools, churches and other vantage points.
Madam Agartha Entsie, the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Health Promotion Officer, urged the media to support the GHS to increase awareness creation in addressing certain misconceptions and myths about the polio vaccines that gave rise to resistance among some parents.
She reiterated that the Service was counting on the help of the media to educate the public on the importance of the vaccines, and why parents should participate in the exercise so that collectively, the nation could save its children and protect communities from polio.
GNA