The Okaikwei North Municipal Directorate of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), in partnership with the Ghana Health Service (GHS), has begun a vital initiative to bolster child health and immunization awareness across communities.
Launched on May 15, 2025, the “Annual Child Health Promotion and African Week” campaign operates under the compelling theme, “Every Child Deserves a Healthy Future: Invest in Your Child. Attend Weighing Regularly.”
This week-long drive signifies a renewed commitment to enhancing early childhood healthcare through targeted education and robust community engagement.
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As part of these efforts, officials from both the NCCE and GHS conducted a sensitization session with members of the Kissiman Mosque congregation on Friday, May 23, 2025.
The engagement specifically focused on empowering parents, particularly young women, with essential knowledge regarding the critical importance of consistent child weighing and timely immunization.
Mr. Bright Larbie, Assistant Civic Education Officer of the NCCE, underscored the significance of routine weighing. “Regular weighing is vital for closely monitoring the growth and overall well-being of our infants and toddlers,” he stated.
He further addressed prevalent misconceptions surrounding vaccinations, urging parents to resist myths and instead “take full advantage of immunization services to ensure their children grow strong and healthy.”
Reinforcing this critical message, Madam Abigail Amoah, a health expert from the Ghana Health Service, elaborated on the protective power of vaccines. She explained how these vital injections safeguard children against “six major childhood diseases and more.”
Madam Amoah also passionately advocated for exclusive breastfeeding among nursing mothers, highlighting its extensive benefits for optimal infant development.
Adding a broader perspective, Mrs. Joanna Ampomaa Nkansah, Deputy Director at the NCCE Regional Office, emphasized the far-reaching consequences of neglecting childhood vaccinations.
“The risks of not vaccinating children are profound not only putting individual children at risk but also exposing entire communities to the spread of preventable diseases,” she warned.
She stressed that immunization is a “shared responsibility” that extends beyond mothers alone.