Japan donates to Ministry of Health

The Minister of Health, Dr Kwaku Afriyie said his sector has identified fifty-six Districts as being at high risk of Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus Infection. He said all women within the fertile age group of 12-49 years, in those districts would be given three doses of tetanus as part of immunization programme between the year 2002 and 2003.

Dr Afriyie disclosed this when he received 1.7 billion cedis worth of 960,000 doses of Tetanus Toxoid Vaccines, Automobile Syringes, Safety Boxes, and Refrigerators donated by the Japanese Government to the Ministry of Health (MOH) in Accra.

The donation was under the Japanese grant for Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus elimination activities in Ghana. The Minister noted that about 100 cases of neonatal tetanus were reported every year in the country with a significant number of them resulting in death.

He recounted that in 1998, a study conducted by MOH showed that only 5-8 percent of Neonatal Tetanus cases were reported with other unreported cases. As a result of this, the Minister said the MOH in 2001 with its health partners drew up a five year plan for the elimination of maternal and neonatal tetanus by the year 2005 through the use of well known and tested strategies.

He mentioned criminal septic abortion and use of unhygienic pessaries during the post natal periods as some of the causes of maternal tetanus, adding that in Ghana, neonatal tetanus were caused by unclean delivery and cord care practices.

Dr Afriyie said vaccination campaigns have started in two districts-Juabesobea and Wassa Amenfi in the Western Regions with 400,000 dollars worth of vaccines from the Japanese government. He said WHO, UNICEF and UNFPA have also recommended strategies such as promoting clean delivery services to all pregnant women and ensure early case detection to eliminate neonatal tetanus.

Mrs Kazuko Asai, Japanese ambassador to Ghana pledged Japan's continued support to ensure the elimination of maternal neonatal tetanus and hoped that the vaccines would enhance health delivery in the country, especially among children.