Issue of vaccines is deeply personal. The President of Ghana, His Excellency, John Dramani Mahama has stated clearly that the issue of vaccines is deeply a personal one. Recounting how he lost a brother as a result of polio, which led to depression and eventually the passing on of his brother, the president did not miss words on how important vaccines were on saving lives.
Sounding very emotional, the president began his speech with this touching story of how he and those who survived were “lucky ones”
He made these remarks at the just Gavi Vaccine Alliance Pledging Session at Brussels. Taking to his X (Twitter) page, he made the following post
“I had productive discussions with Bill Gates this afternoon in Brussels, ahead of the #Gavi Vaccine Alliance pledging session. Our discussion focused on Ghana’s vital interventions in the health sector. We covered key topics, including the significant progress on the Free Primary Healthcare programme, the ongoing work of the National Vaccine Institute, and the impact of uncapping the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIS) to improve healthcare access and financing. I also thanked Mr. Gates and the Gates Foundation for their extensive philanthropic work in Ghana and their crucial contribution to the Gavi Vaccine Alliance. I also met with the Gavi Board Chair, José Manuel Barroso, who expressed gratitude for my consistent support for Gavi’s vital vaccine replenishment efforts. Supporting an organisation that is doing such crucial work for global health is always a pleasure. These meetings underscore the importance of international collaboration and sustained investment in health systems to build a healthier future for all. Looking forward to the pledging session and advocating for continued support for Gavi’s life-saving work. #Gavi #VaccinesWork #GhanaHealth #MahamaThePresident“
He further told participants how through the Gavi project, Ghana has now achieved 97% vaccine coverage.
As the gathering clapped, he was quick to add that “but it meas that a three percent is missing, and we are making efforts to find that sixty five thousand (65,000) children who are in remote areas that are hard to reach, and I know that working with Gavi, we would be able to find those children and give them life saving vaccines.
Click to watch the speech of the president.
It is expected that Gavi would continue to support Ghana in its efforts to have every child vaccinated against the various diseases that are a threat to the survival of children.
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