This year’s African Vaccination Week was commemorated together with the annual Child Health Promotion Week on the 23rd April, 2013 under the theme “Healthy Children; Great Future” with the slogan “Vaccinate, Prevent disabilities, Save lives”.

The year, 2013, marks the third year of commemoration of the African Vaccination Week and the 9th for Child Health Promotion Week which has become one of the key activities on the calendar of activities of the Health Sector. The CHPW celebration is part of efforts by the Ministry of Health/Ghana Health Service to improve upon the efficiency of service delivery, quality of care and coverage of services to children below five years. It is also a strategy that encourages advocacy on child health promotion issues. During the week specific key child survival interventions are provided for children from birth to 5 years especially those who are not adequately covered under the current child welfare service provision.

The National Planning Committee for Child health programmes planned series of activities to commemorate the Week. Letters were sent to all the regions to commemorate the week which fell from 22nd to 26th April, 2013 in any form of their choice. It could be community durbars, role plays, defaulters tracing or games on immunization among school children.  However for consistency purposes key messages were developed and produced by the National Communication Sub Committee on EPI for all levels. At the national level the under listed activities were planned and organized:

Joint  launch and Press briefing for  media practitioners and the general public on 23rd  April, 2013
Mass Media activities – Radio News commentary & interviews
Distribution of key messages on child health issues such as importance of immunization, breastfeeding and complementary feeding to some organized groups- Queen mothers association, women’s groups and school children.

A joint national launch and press briefing was organised in connection with the commemoration of African Vaccination Week and Child Health Promotion Week on the 23rdApril, 2013 at the Civil Servants’ Association conference hall in Accra under the chairmanship of Dir. Joseph Amankwa, the director of Public Health Division of the Ghana Health Service.

The launching was done by the Hon. Minister of Health, Ms. Sherry Ayittey. In her speech the Minister reiterated the fact that immunization is the most successful and effective health interventions. It has reduced morbidity and mortality across the world in a safe and cost-effective manner. According the Health Minister, immunization is an important investment for all countries. She therefore called on all caregivers to immunize their children since it was the best way to protect children from life-threatening diseases.

The Minister further pledge the government’s continuous support to the immunization programmes. She urged all to partake in the immunization activities since it is a shared responsibility for the growth of the country. Ms Ayitey commended all partners especially WHO, UNICEF, Rotary International and the rest for their enlightened corporate initiative to fight against disabilities in Ghana. In concluding her speech the Health Minister reminded parents that apart from preventing death, vaccination also prevents disabilities.

Other prominent personalities who addressed the gathering included the EPI programme Manager, Dr Antwi Agyei, National Coordinator of GHS Child Health Programmes, Dr Isabella Sagoe-Moses and the WHO country Representative Dr Idrissa Sow.