Ayawaso North Municipal Assembly launches Africa Vaccination and Child Health Promotion Week

The Ayawaso North Municipal Health Directorate, in collaboration with the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), has launched the 2025 edition of Africa Vaccination and Child Health Promotion Week on Monday in Accra.

The annual initiative, aimed at raising awareness about the importance of child health and promoting equitable access to vital healthcare services for all children across the continent, was themed: “Every Child Deserves a Healthy Future. Invest in Your Child. Attend ‘Weighing’ Regularly.”

Speaking at the launch, the Municipal Director for NCCE, Madam Eunice Nkrumah, urged parents and caregivers to take full advantage of the week-long initiative by visiting their nearest health facilities for free child health services.

She said, “These services include immunizations, Vitamin A supplementation, growth monitoring, birth registration, malaria prevention education, and breastfeeding support. Every child deserves the chance to grow up healthy and strong, and it is the responsibility of parents and caregivers to give their children the healthy start they deserve.”

She encouraged mothers to put their babies to the breast within one hour of birth, feed them exclusively with breast milk for the first six months, and continue breastfeeding for two years and beyond, alongside other nutritious foods.

She added, “To prevent malaria, ensure that your child sleeps under an insecticide-treated net every night. Complete your child’s immunization before they turn two years old, and ensure they are registered at birth. Registration gives the child a legal identity and social protection.”

Madam Nkrumah further urged parents to take their children for regular growth monitoring, popularly known as "weighing," from birth until five years, as advised by health professionals.

She stressed that all essential child health services are free of charge.

The Clinical Coordinator at Mamobi General Hospital, Dr. Prince Daitey, underscored the critical importance of child health interventions, especially during the early months of life.

He said, “The Child Health Week provides an opportunity to highlight the essential care children need. It is proven that the interventions we make, ranging from vaccinations and nutritional advice to proper neonatal care, play a crucial role in determining whether a child grows to achieve their full potential or not.”

He explained that neglecting these early interventions could seriously jeopardize a child's long-term health and well-being.

As part of the week-long celebration, the Health Directorate has lined up several activities, including school health services, community outreach programmes, home visits and a durbar at the Urban Aid Hospital.