The Acting Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Professor Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, has called on healthcare professionals, civil society groups, and local communities to join forces in boosting child health outcomes and increase vaccine coverage.
This call to action was made at the launch of the 2025 African Vaccination Week and Child Health Promotion Week last Thursday, which aims to boost the well-being of children.
This year's commemoration is observed on the theme, "Every Child Deserves a Healthy Future; Invest in Your Child. Attend 'Weighing' regularly," which focuses on raising awareness about the availability of free child health services and encouraging regular visits to child welfare clinics across the nation.
Speaking at the ceremony on last Thursday in Accra, Professor Akoriyea emphasised the critical role vaccination played in preventing deadly childhood diseases and improving public health.
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He stated that child health was not solely the responsibility of the government or health professionals, adding that traditional authorities, religious leaders, parents, and the media were all crucial actors in this collective mission.
"I was born in a village with no hospital or school, but through community effort, I am here today. If we save just one child today, we could be saving the next president, minister, or carpenter who builds for our future," he added.
Prof. Kaba Akoriyea also encouraged a return to traditional Ghanaian diets, lamenting the replacement of nutritious local foods with foreign substitutes.
"Our traditional foods are the best. They are part of our culture, and we must promote them as a health solution," he said.
The Minister of Health, Mr Kwabena Mintah Akandoh in a speech read on his behalf by the Technical Coordinator Mr Hafiz Adam, expressed great enthusiasm about the synchronised launch of the 2025 African Vaccination and Child Health Promotion Week.
The Minister stated that, this initiative was igniting a renewed commitment to ensuring that no child was left behind when it comes to essential health services.
"I therefore encourage every parent and caregivers to take their children under five years to the nearest health centre or outreach point to access a range of free services," the minister added.
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"The future of the next generation lies in the hands of our children and we must do whatever we can to provide them with the best health care we can," he said.
The Chief Health and Nutrition of United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), Mr Manuel Dewez, speaking on behalf of all the partners, acknowledged the effort of GHS and appealed to parents to be responsible for the well-being of their children.
"Immunisation is a global health success story, saving millions of lives every year. We now have vaccines to prevent more than 30 life-threatening diseases and infections, helping people of all ages live longer," he added.
Mr Dewez said in order to bridge gaps in vaccine coverage and protect children from preventable illnesses, healthcare workers, civil society organisations, and community members must work together to promote child health and expanding access to life-saving interventions
