By Michael Foli Jackidy
Ho (V/R), April 30, GNA – The Ho Municipal Health Directorate has launched the 2026 African Vaccination Week and officially commenced routine Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination for eligible girls at the Ho Bankoe E.P. Primary School in Ho.
The event formed part of activities marking the 2026 African Vaccination Week, being observed from April 27 to May 3, in line with World Immunisation Week, on the theme: “For Every Generation, Vaccines Work.”
Madam Perfect Titiati, Ho Municipal Director of Health Services, said the annual observance was an important public health campaign aimed at promoting immunisation and increasing awareness of the critical role vaccines play in protecting lives, especially children.
She said vaccination remained one of the most effective public health interventions, helping to prevent life-threatening diseases and reduce childhood illness and mortality.
Madam Titiati noted that this year’s celebration was particularly significant as it coincided with the official rollout of routine HPV vaccination in Ghana, following the successful national mass vaccination campaign held in October last year.
She said the Ghana Health Service (GHS) had planned an intensified HPV vaccination campaign as part of the week-long commemoration to raise awareness about the inclusion of the HPV vaccine in the routine immunisation schedule.
According to her, the campaign is intended to ensure that all eligible girls, especially those who missed the mass vaccination exercise in 2025, receive the vaccine and are protected against cervical cancer.
She urged schoolchildren, particularly eligible girls, to participate in the exercise and encouraged parents and guardians to support the vaccination effort.
“The HPV vaccine is safe, effective and essential in protecting our girls against cervical cancer. We want every eligible girl to take advantage of this opportunity and get vaccinated,” she said.
Mrs Helen Osei, Ho Municipal School Health Education Programme (SHEP) Coordinator, said African Vaccination Week is observed every year during the last week of April to highlight the importance of vaccines in disease prevention and public health.
She said the campaign serves as a reminder that vaccines save lives and remain one of the most reliable tools for protecting children, adolescents and adults against dangerous diseases that can cause disability or death.
Mrs Osei added that many vaccine-preventable diseases could be avoided if people received the right vaccines at the right time.
She said the Ghana Health Service continued to work to ensure vaccines were available and accessible to all, noting that vaccination not only protects individuals but also helps safeguard entire communities through collective immunity.
She urged students to take immunisation seriously and to pay attention to health education messages delivered by health professionals.
“Let us all support vaccination because prevention is better than cure,” she said.
Miss Ida Ama Odzor, Headmistress of Ho Bankoe E.P. Primary School, said the launch marked a significant step in protecting the health and future of girls.
She described cervical cancer as one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths among women in Ghana, noting that it remained preventable through early vaccination.
Miss Odzor said the HPV vaccine being introduced was safe, effective and approved by both the Food and Drugs Authority and the World Health Organization.
She said the vaccine was already being used globally to protect girls before exposure to the virus and urged parents to support the exercise.
“To our dear parents, your consent is key. This vaccine is free, safe and an act of love and protection for our daughters,” she said.
She encouraged eligible girls in Basic Four to JHS Two, particularly those aged between nine and 14 years, to be confident and take part in the vaccination exercise.
“This is for your health, your future and your dreams. You are the mothers, teachers, nurses, and leaders of tomorrow. We must protect you today,” she said.
Miss Odzor thanked the Ghana Health Service, the Ho Municipal Health Directorate and the Ghana Education Service for selecting the school for the launch and for their continued collaboration in promoting child health and safety.
She also commended teachers, parents, and the Parent-Teacher Association for their support for health interventions in the school.
The launch formed part of national efforts to strengthen routine immunisation and expand protection against vaccine-preventable diseases among children and adolescents.
GNA
Edited By: Maxwell Awumah/Audrey Dekalu