Children are dying from a vaccine-preventable disease, pneumonia still kills in Ghana as immunisation coverage lags at 56%
As World Immunization Week (April 24-30) gets underway, doctors at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology are warning that children in Ghana are still dying from pneumonia even though the disease is preventable through routine vaccination. Health experts say vaccines for pneumonia, meningitis, measles and other deadly diseases are available free of cost, but only about 56.45 per cent of children aged 12 to 35 months are fully immunised, with regional disparities and persistent gaps in coverage. Unvaccinated children dying of pneumonia is a reality paediatric pulmonologist Sandra Kwarteng Owusu has seen, describing it as a major child health threat that is being worsened by vaccine hesitancy, misinformation and post-COVID-19 distrust in immunisation. She explained that other barriers such as poverty, transport cost, long distance to health facilities and late healthcare seeking also deny many children the opportunity to complete vaccinations. Health professionals say falling vaccination rates weaken herd immunity and raise the risk of outbreaks. They cite recent measles cases in northern Ghana and implore parents to spot the early signs of pneumonia and get prompt medical attention. They want better public education, community engagement and trust in vaccines to boost immunisation rates and prevent unnecessary child deaths.
