Former Information Minister and Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu constituency, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has said the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government should not be embarrassed to admit that it reached out to Nigeria and Côte d'Ivoire for urgent bailout on Ghana's avoidable and indefensible shortage of childhood vaccines.
According to the MP, sunday's consignment came in from Nigeria as a benevolent gesture which the Ghanaian government has promised to replace when it finally puts its house in order.
"Why is the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government not willing to publicly admit that it begged Nigeria and Côte d'Ivoire to bailout Ghana on the indefensible shortage of childhood vaccines?
"Why is our government embarrassed to accept that yesterday's vaccine consignment were borrowed from Nigeria," he tweeted on Monday afteroon.
"There is absolutely nothing wrong saying Thank You to a neighbour who exhibits superior public health policies, better prioritization, and who responds positively and swiftly when you come begging," he added.
The Director-General of the GHS, Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, told the media yesterday that the government had procured stocks that were enough to last beyond this year, but they were being received in batches.
He said the first consignment would take not less than six weeks, stressing that it was absolutely free from any charges.
He said more vaccines would be coming in the course of the week up to two weeks.
Dr Kuma-Aboagye appealed to parents of eligible children to visit their respective child welfare clinics to get their children vaccinated.
He explained that the GHS was going to continue with the routine process with an in-facility catch-up strategy put in place to vaccinate children who missed their vaccines.
Background
The Daily Graphic, after a nationwide check, reported about the shortage of the three vaccines in the Thursday, February 23, 2023 edition of the newspaper.
The situation was perceived to have the potential to increase the vulnerability of children to the diseases against which the vaccines sought to protect them.
The three vaccines are part of the 10 that give protection against 13 conditions.
Following the reportage, the Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, and Dr Kuma-Aboagye, and on different platforms, acknowledged the shortage and assured the public that the government was working hard to accelerate the restocking of those vaccines.
The minister told Parliament last week that the government had paid an additional $6.4 million to UNICEF to facilitate the procurement and delivery of the vaccines.
Source: Peacefmonline
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Nana there is no truth to be bitter in the first place. This is why i refused to read comments from some people nor listen to them at all because they inflict thier ignorance o us. The politics of our land
My problem is not with the Baby with Sharp Teeth but Peacefmonline. Why pulled this from social media and put it on your platform. It is about time journalist in this country grow up. We are fed up with unnecessary comics.
This is no news, Ablakwa. Why do you turn a cough by Nana Addo into political games? This pull him down by Ablakwa and NDC is a national disgrace. We don't pay you to do this but to do real work of nation building.
AND WHAT IS WRONG WITH THAT? THIS IS SOMETHING COUNTRIES DO AMONG THEMSELVES . YOU ALWAY WANT TO TALK ABOUT EVERYTHING. ***barred word*** BOY.
What the heck is wrong with this guy? This is unbecoming of a so-called Paliamentarian. Lacks judgement and comments immaturely on almost everything. What is wrong with asking for vaccines from neighbors who have more than enough to spare? Why don’t you rather praise the initiative of getting the vaccines into the country at such record speed? Cheap politics always leads you to the land of the fo0l.
It’s not the case of talking for talking sake. This chap is making too much noise. Didn’t this guy run to the pastors for prayers when he needed one? If he is all in himself, he should have prayed for himself and not to ran away vet seeking for prayers? Must you criticize everything? C’mon!
Ablakwa always has a way of taking his f00lishness a notch higher. This same minority complained about vaccine shortage. The government has procured or borrowed some from countries in the sub region and Ablakwa has a problem with that. The only thing that NDC are good at is to criticise..suggesting alternative daabida.
What is wrong about asking or begging for something you urgently need and getting it Ablakwa. Your arrogance won't take you anywhere. By now I was expecting you to have apologized to the nation for the disrespect you showed to the court by kicking the summons. Any civilized society would have seen to it that you resigned because you claim to be a law maker but don't respect the law. Look at Mcdan who's made his wealth through his own sweat even respect the law and has come out publicly to apologize when he was charged with contempt. Work on your character, if you've sweated to have amassed all the wealth you've, you'll have respect and sen$e
***barred word*** talk by the baby with sharp teeth. Don't you also beg for something. NDC and their ***barred word*** ***barred word***
Ei nso ka d3n?