Speaking to journalists, Ranking Member of the Health Committee of Parliament, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh said the Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyemang-Manu should step aside if he cannot effectively implement his mandate.
“We started recording a shortage of measles vaccine around October 2022 and this is an emergency and the minister and the government have failed and we have been looking at it for months.
“This is unacceptable especially if this vaccine is not a drug that can be bought and purchased. The vaccine is very sensitive and is very protected by organizations and countries, so if they do not have the vaccine, all children in this country are at high risk, especially in the north of the country .
Mr. Akandoh further stressed that the shortcoming “is unforgivable because, in the planning of vaccine procurement and deployment, we must plan ahead.”
The group said despite the allocation of about GH¢72 million for the procurement of vaccines, the country is facing a Measles outbreak from October 2022 due to lack of vaccines.
However, the Minister of Health who was scheduled to appear in Parliament on Tuesday, March 7 to give an answer to the lack of vaccines was given by the Speaker.
This is the second time the Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyemang-Manu has failed to appear in the House of Representatives because he could not honor his scheduled appearance on February 28.