In 2016, the Municipality recorded low child immunisation, falling short of the national quota, which started a debate among health professionals about the accuracy of the projected population figure. Dr Joan Awunyo-Akaba, the Executive Director of FUGI, who was speaking at the Pfizer Childhood Immunisation Project in Ho, said the new register, with the help of volunteers, would help provide accurate data on the number of children under-five in the Municipality for immunisation exercises.

She said gathering of data on health-related issues had become difficult particularly in hard-to-reach communities, making it easier to miss some children in the immunisation exercise. The new register, put together by the coalition of NGOs in health, with funding from Pfizer, has targeted 15 new communities in the Municipality after recording successes in other communities in the Region.

Dr Awunyo-Akaba said immunisation of children should be a concern for all, and called on the Government to assist local NGOs in health to promote the well-being of the citizenry, especially children who were vulnerable to diseases. Mr Christian Gohoho, the Municipal Disease Control Officer, said inadequate home visits and transportation were some of the reasons why the Health Directorate was not able to cover its projected number of new born babies for immunisation.

He asked health professionals, especially community health nurses, to monitor the effectiveness of vaccines after administering it to children. Mr Gohoho said the Directorate would continue to lobby for motorbikes and vehicles for nurses to improve on monitoring. Public health workers who took part in the workshop expressed concern about parents who refused to allow their children to be immunised.

They, therefore, advised parents and guardians to “own the health” of their children. The participants suggested to the Ho Municipal Assembly to define its boundaries to help public health nurses and volunteers to know their catchment areas.

By Sumaiya Salifu Saeed/Rosina Oyivor, GNA