By: Emmanuel Amoah
In 2023, approximately 700,000 children in Ghana are at risk of contracting measles and rubella, according to reports from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
For the past five years, Ghana has struggled to meet the 95% coverage rate for the first dose of the measles-containing vaccine, leaving a significant number of children unprotected.
Dr. Fred Adomako-Boateng, the Ashanti Regional Director of Health Services, highlighted these concerns while justifying the need for the Integrated Measles-Rubella Vaccination and Vitamin A Supplementation Campaign, which aims to address the low vaccination rates.
During the campaign’s media launch in Kumasi, Dr. Adomako-Boateng emphasized the importance of collective efforts to reduce the disease’s impact. “We must all work together to reduce morbidity and mortality through vaccination,” he urged.
The campaign, which runs from October 2 to October 6, seeks to boost population immunity by vaccinating 903,973 children across all 43 districts in the Ashanti Region. The initiative’s theme is “Measles and Rubella Kill, Vaccinate Your Child for Good Life,” and aims to achieve 95% immunization coverage.
Vaccination teams will visit schools, homes, and public areas to vaccinate children aged 9 to 59 months (roughly five years old). Additionally, parents can bring their children to vaccination posts set up in communities, health centers, and hospitals.
Dr. Adomako-Boateng also revealed that the WHO/CDC Measles Risk Assessment Tool identified 50 districts as high-risk for a potential measles outbreak. “This accumulation of unvaccinated children creates a vulnerable population at risk of measles and its severe consequences,” he explained, warning that the risk of outbreaks rises with the growing number of unvaccinated children.
The region has seen a significant increase in measles cases in recent years. Dr. Adomako-Boateng provided a breakdown of confirmed cases over the last six years: 9 in 2018, 2 in 2019, 1 in 2020, 4 in 2021, 24 in 2022, and a sharp rise to 79 cases in 2023.
Dr. Adomako-Boateng urged parents and guardians not to miss the opportunity to vaccinate their children during the campaign period, stressing the dangers of measles and rubella. “Measles and Rubella are deadly diseases. Their complications can be severe, and you never know who might be at risk,” he cautioned.
