The Ghana Health Service (GHS) will today re-launch the Expanded Malaria Vaccination Programme in Sunyani in the Bono region to cover all the seven pilot regions.
The implementation, which will take immediate effect in the selected regions, including Central, Volta, Bono East, Bono, Ahafo and Oti, as well as Upper East regions will be incorporated into routine immunization of children.
Under Phase One of the programme, 42 districts of participating regions were covered with the remaining 52 to be covered under the re-launch.
Speaking to GBC News, Manager of the Expanded Programme on Immunization at the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Kwame Amponsah-Achiano, indicated that targets set for phase one of the programme was achieved.
He said lessons drawn will be leveraged on in the next phase for better outcomes.
The malaria vaccine RTS’s is the first malaria vaccine to be piloted and introduced in the West Africa Sub-region in 2019 for children under two years.
The World Health Organization in October 2021 recommended widespread use of the vaccine among children.
Dr. Achiano said the vaccine implementation programme has been a major boost at reducing malaria induced mortality of especially children in Ghana.
