By Maxwell Awumah
Ho, Oct. 31, GNA – Dr Franklin Asiedu-Bekoe, Director of Public Health, Ghana Health Service (GHS), has called for multi-faceted approaches in the quest to strengthening Ghana’s public health system.
He said other approaches included increasing funding, investing in infrastructure and re-orienting services toward primary and preventive care.
Dr Asiedu-Bekoe during a webinar presentation on “Strengthening Public Health Systems and Sustaining Vaccine Confidence in Ghana” said improving vaccine confidence among the population through targeted messaging, community engagement, prompt address of rumours and myths would increase vaccine uptake in the country.
The webinar was organized by Africa Media and Malaria Research Network (AMMREN) and National Vaccine Institute (NVI) for journalists.
He said Ghana’s public health system had been responsive to the health needs and challenges of the population over the years through primary health care delivery and response to public health threats and emergencies such as COVID-19, Marburg, Cholera and Mpox.
Dr Asiedu-Bekoe said the national public health system had served as an essential component of the resilient health system and the first line of defense against the threat of pandemics.
“Ghana has demonstrated commitment to improve its public health system to promptly detect and respond to infectious diseases and promoting preventative measures.”
He said key areas of focus for public health system strengthening included improvement in public health spending including free primary health care and a new Ghana Medical Trust Fund launched to finance treatment for non-communicable diseases.
“The government is increasing the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) funding for health by uncapping the fund which will significantly improve access to health care,” he said.
Dr Asiedu-Bekoe said there was also increased infrastructure investment through retooling of health facilities at all levels, improving investing in healthcare infrastructure between 2025 and 2028, strengthening medical training and research facilities across the country and strengthening financial and technical partnerships with international bodies which was crucial for implementing initiatives and leveraging expertise.
He said immunisation remained one of the most effective tools to safeguard children’s health and future well-being.
“in Ghana, the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) has made significant strides in reducing infant and under five mortality; and ensuring no child is left behind when it comes to immunisation, contributed to the reduction of Under Five Mortality from 111/1000LB in 2003 to 40/1000 LB in 2022 and elimination of neonatal tetanus in Ghana in 2011,” he added ”
Dr Asiedu-Bekoe underscoring the importance of vaccine confidence, said it was the trust people had in government recommended vaccines and the healthcare providers who administer shots.
He said safety and side effects, myths, misinformation and rumours, religious and spiritual beliefs: Religious and spiritual beliefs and demographics were Factors affecting vaccine confidence in Ghana.
Dr Selorm Kutsoati, the Acting Programme Manager, Expanded Programme of Immunisation, Ghana Health Service, speaking on “Ghana’s Immunisation Journey: Achievements, Challenges, and the Media Imperative,” said immunisation had helped conquered many childhood vaccine-preventable diseases in Ghana.
She said other achievements included polio where no reported WPV in Ghana was recorded since 2008, no documented measles death in Ghana between 2003 and 2021, drastic reduction in cases of pneumonia and diarrhoea in children, reduction in incidence of malaria cases and no case of meningitis due to Neisseria meningitides A after the Men A Campaign in 2012 and subsequent introduction into Routine Immunization in 2016.
Dr Kutsoati said key challenges were heavy reliance on partners (especially Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance) for commodity (vaccines) and operational support adding that, “Ghana is expected to transition from Gavi Support in 2030.”
She mentioned inadequate and frequent breakdown of cold chain equipment at the district and facility with costly repairs, inequities in vaccination coverage among districts resulting in high numbers of left-out children in urban and peri-urban districts, workforce burnout, anti-vaccine lobbyists and vaccine hesitancy, especially for adult vaccines as other key challenges.
Dr Kutsoati said priority areas where media engagement was critical include public education on immunisation through teaching the importance, benefits and safety of vaccines, helping dispel myths, misinformation and fears associated with vaccination and offer a platform for discussions on vaccination, prioritise stories on immunisation and share human-centered stories on immunisation.
She mentioned the advocate to generate support for immunisation activities at the community level and the national level.
Dr Kutsoati called for media engagement in building trust, counter misinformation and offer a balanced reportage, promote confidence by engaging key influencers and health experts on immunisation programmes and partner with relevant health authorities to set agenda for discussions on immunisation.
GNA
Edited by Benjamin Mensah