Consequences of no vaccines dire; threat to children – Fmr Medical Director

The former Medical Director of Ridge Hospital, Dr. Thomas Anaba has said that the shortage of vaccines in the country is dire for the health of our children.

The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has announced that the shortage of vaccines and indicated that bottlenecks with the supply of vaccines in the country will be solved in the next three weeks.

Speaking to Ultimate News, the Director General of the GHS, Dr. Kumah Aboagye said that his outfit was unable to procure BCG, Measles, and Polio Vaccines because of the exchange rate pressures that drove the dollar-rated vaccines through the roof.

Commenting on this vaccine shortage on Starr Today, the former Medical Director stated that the consequences of not having vaccines for our children are dire for some groups of people.

“Because of their weakened immune systems, children are especially vulnerable to tuberculosis. Without the vaccine, children will contract tuberculosis, which will harm their lungs, spine, and other organs. That is a sad thing we should be expecting if we don’t have vaccines for tuberculosis.”

“Polio, we all know polio. That is very devastating and that will leave you paralyzed or disabled forever. So, in the absence of the vaccine, which is just a drop in the mouth, our children stand a high risk of acquiring poliovirus, and that will lead them to be polarized which will incapacitate them in the future. And they cannot function as they expect a normal person to function. Measles is spreading throughout Ghana; children and even adults are becoming infected, which is not good.”

He continued: “It will save some, but if not lucky and a child acquires a disease like tuberculosis today and the vaccines are to arrive in a month or two months’ time. The complication of tuberculosis in the child cannot be reversed. A child gets polio today, his nervous system is damaged, and he starts limping or paralyzed.

“The arrival of the vaccine in a month or two will not save that child again. If a child gets tuberculosis today and damages the lungs and has complications with the lung or in the spine and becomes paralytic or damages his vertebras, he becomes deformed forever. It does paint a gloomy picture now until the vaccine arrives and we don’t record anything, then we see that it is safe. But to me, it’s not safe.”