Accra, 2 June 2017 - Ghana has over the years integrated the Africa Vaccination Week (AVW) with Child Health Promotion Week (CHPW) as one of the sustainable ways of improving coverage of preventive child survival interventions. This year’s theme for the country was “Healthy Child, Start Right, do it right for total growth and development”. The theme for the AVW was “Vaccines protect everyone; get vaccinated”.

WHO as a key partner supported Ghana’s Ministry of Health / Ghana Health Service to observe the week, with an objective to create more awareness about immunization and other child survival interventions to increase community response and uptake of services. The launch of AVW came off on the 27th of April 2017 as an integral part of the Annual Review Conference for the Family Health Division of the Ghana Health Service which took place in Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana. In attendance were the Deputy Minister of Health Mrs Tina Mensah, Dr Anthony Nsiah-Asare, Director General of GHS, Regional Directors, directors and staff of GHS and Development Partners.

WHO was acknowledged and given the platform to deliver a message which was read on behalf of the Country Representative, Dr Owen Kaluwa by Dr Roseline Doe, Maternal and Child Health Officer.

As part of post launch activities a team from WCO joined the GHS national team to embark on monitoring activities for the CHPW in the Northern, Eastern and Central Regions of Ghana. Activities carried out at various health facilities and Community Outreaches included, Health talks at facilities, Radio talks on the theme, Immunization, Vitamin A supplementation, Growth monitoring, Birth registration, Promotion of LLIN use, Education on proper hand washing and distribution of Child Health Records booklet.

For more information, please contact:

Media contact: Joana ANSONG, NPO/HPR,WCO-Ghana, email ansongj [at] who.int (ansongj[at]who[dot]int)

Technical contact: Stanley Kwasi DIAMENU, EPI Focal Point, WCO-Ghana, email diamenus [at] who.int (diamenus[at]who[dot]int)

Below:

01. A proud father holding his baby whiles the infant receives Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV)

02. Awards for care givers who had been consistent in sending their wards for immunization and growth monitoring especially beyond 2 years

03. Awards for care givers who had been consistent in sending their wards for immunization and growth monitoring especially beyond 2 years

04. Inspection of the cold chain

05. Vaccination session

06. Vaccination session