H1N1 Vaccine Controversy...Ghana Health Service Reacts
Date: 07-Jul-2010
The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has cautioned the public to report to vaccination centers or nearest health centers any side effects after receiving the H1N1 vaccines.
Director in charge of vaccination, Dr. Nana Antwi Adjei, said GHS was aware of the side effects of the vaccine and had given out compliant form to be filled by patients who experience those effects.
This according to him, that would enable his outfit determine if the vaccines should be continued in use or discontinued. Dr. Nana Antwi Adjei disclosed this to The New Crusading Guide in an interview in Accra.
He said GHS was closely monitoring the reactions the H1N1 vaccines impose on patients, adding that it would not hesitate to withdraw them if the side effects exceeded more than required.
“We have given out complaint forms at every vaccination center across the country and are expecting people to report,” he said. “The manufacturer had inscribed the side effects and we have trained our teams in charge of vaccination at every district to inform the patients before they take the injection but unfortunately, most of them do not report again after taking the injection,” he included.
As at 30 June 898 cases of the pandemic influenza had been recorded out of 7,192 samples screened from all the regions of Ghana, except the Upper East Region. One death however, was recorded in the Greater Accra Region.
The vaccination, which began on 14 June this year, has been catering for some selected groups of people. So far, only 2,300,0000 doses of the vaccines have been received from the World Health Organization.
Nana Antwi Adjei explained, “Considering the population of Ghana the available vaccines could cater for about 10% of people in the country. It was in view of this that the GHS decided to vaccinate the high risk groups (health workers security personnel) and vulnerable people including those with chronic diseases.”
Date: 07-Jul-2010
The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has cautioned the public to report to vaccination centers or nearest health centers any side effects after receiving the H1N1 vaccines.
Director in charge of vaccination, Dr. Nana Antwi Adjei, said GHS was aware of the side effects of the vaccine and had given out compliant form to be filled by patients who experience those effects.
This according to him, that would enable his outfit determine if the vaccines should be continued in use or discontinued. Dr. Nana Antwi Adjei disclosed this to The New Crusading Guide in an interview in Accra.
He said GHS was closely monitoring the reactions the H1N1 vaccines impose on patients, adding that it would not hesitate to withdraw them if the side effects exceeded more than required.
“We have given out complaint forms at every vaccination center across the country and are expecting people to report,” he said. “The manufacturer had inscribed the side effects and we have trained our teams in charge of vaccination at every district to inform the patients before they take the injection but unfortunately, most of them do not report again after taking the injection,” he included.
As at 30 June 898 cases of the pandemic influenza had been recorded out of 7,192 samples screened from all the regions of Ghana, except the Upper East Region. One death however, was recorded in the Greater Accra Region.
The vaccination, which began on 14 June this year, has been catering for some selected groups of people. So far, only 2,300,0000 doses of the vaccines have been received from the World Health Organization.
Nana Antwi Adjei explained, “Considering the population of Ghana the available vaccines could cater for about 10% of people in the country. It was in view of this that the GHS decided to vaccinate the high risk groups (health workers security personnel) and vulnerable people including those with chronic diseases.”
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