Vaccination for Children in Ghana

What is vaccination?

 Do you know that vaccinations for your children in Ghana are completely free? Do you know that there are vaccination points within walking distance from your home, no matter where you live? Today, we will discuss what vaccination is and why it is important for your child in Ghana to be fully vaccinated.

Vaccination is when a person, including newborns, is given immunity against a specific disease through a vaccine. The vaccine can be given through the mouth or through the skin or muscle. The body's protective system builds itself up and develops resistance against that disease. Your newborn is then protected from these dangerous diseases.

Why are vaccinations important?

I remember a few years ago, Ghana had a list of six (6) killer diseases that killed so many children and left survivors with severe visual and hearing impairments. When teachers taught us in school about these diseases, there was so much fear and terror in their voices because of the harm the diseases caused to families. All children in Ghana are now fully covered by vaccines against these diseases and more. We do not see these diseases commonly anymore; it is rare to find a child with complications from these killer diseases.UNICEF estimates that vaccinations save between 2 and 3 million children each year from deadly diseases. Your baby is protected through vaccination right from birth.

What vaccines are available for my newborn?

Ghana has a comprehensive vaccination schedule right from birth that is appropriate for your baby. We will look at the vaccination schedule and look at all the diseases covered by the vaccination programme and how your baby will be protected. The following are the diseases currently covered by the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI). 

1. Tuberculosis

2. Poliomyelitis

3. RotaVirus

4. Diphtheria

5. Tetanus

6. Pertussis

7. Pneumococcal infections

8. Haemophilus infections

9 Hepatitis B

10. Measles

11. Yellow fever

12. Meningitis

13. Rubella

Conclusion

Newborn vaccination is a lifesaver for children born in Ghana and has prevented a lot of deaths and impairments involving vision, hearing and mobility.