By: Michael Kofi Kenetey
The Vice Board Chair of the African Media and Malaria Research Network, AMMREN, Professor Francis Zotor has called on journalists across Ghana to deepen their advocacy towards immunization, vaccine uptake and child health to help promote Universal Health Coverage in the country.
Prof. Zotor revealed that vaccination is a critical public health measure that helps to eradicate deadly diseases and has helped save millions of lives globally. However, vaccine uptake depends largely on what information is shared.
Speaking during a Webinar for Journalists organized by AMMREN in collaboration with Expanded Programme on Immunization, EPI and the Ghana Health Service, GHS, to Commemorate the 2025 African Vaccination Week and Child Health in Ghana noted that in an era where misinformation can spread faster than any virus, journalists have a responsibility not just to only report on health issues, but also educate, clarify, and champion the truth on health-related issues.
Prof. Zokor reiterated that whether it is countering vaccine myths, sharing personal testimonies, or highlighting the work of frontline health workers, journalists have a pivotal role in shaping the national narrative in the country.
The Officer-in-Charge of the World Health Organization, WHO Country Office in Ghana, Dr. Frank John Lule, noted that immunization is not only one of the most effective public health tools but also a fundamental right, a shared responsibility, and a vital investment in the future of every country.
Dr. Lule emphasized that vaccines have helped save over 154 million lives over the past 50 years, reducing infant mortality by 40 percent and protecting people from more than 30 deadly diseases across the globe.
He said WHO and partners are working closely with countries to identify and reach zero-dose children, integrate immunization into primary health care, and build stronger, more resilient health systems.
He mentioned that initiatives like the ‘Big Catch-Up’ are helping to restore essential services, while the introduction of new vaccines, such as those for malaria and human papillomavirus, HPV, expands their disease prevention measures.
The EPI Manager, Dr Kwame Amponsa-Achiano speaking on the theme for this year’s vaccination week, “Every Child Deserves a Healthy Future, invest in your Child. Attend Weighing Regularly,” revealed that vaccination is one of the greatest public health achievements of the human history.
He added that vaccination has contributed to the eradication of smallpox, near eradication of poliomyelitis and elimination of measles in several regions.
Dr Amponsa-Achiano stated that over two million deaths among children under the age of five have been prevented annually through immunization.
