20% of Ghanaian children not immunised – UNICEF Study

A research conducted by the UNICEF in 2011 in Ghana indicates that 20 per cent of children below two years have no access to immunisation against childhood diseases.

The research said 14 per cent of children below five years suffer malnutrition, a situation which could deny the country the opportunity to meet the Millennium Development Goals target of 2015.

Madam Gifty Akosua Baka, Country Director of the Christian Children’s Fund of Canada (CCFC), who revealed this in Tamale at the weekend said 33,000 children especially girls are on the streets with high risk of exposure to further vulnerabilities such as HIV and AIDS, child labour, sexual abuse and other social effects.

The CCFC is an international non-governmental organisation operating in the country to improve lives of children.

Mrs Baka, a former Lecturer at the University of Ghana, took over from Madam Sanatu Nantogma who had worked with the organisation for 16 years.

Mrs Baka said even though Ghana could pat itself at the back as the first country to ratify the UN Convention on the right of children and the passage of the Children’s Act, there was more to be done to bridge rural- urban disparities and the protection of the fundamental human rights of children.

She said it was sad that poverty levels of traditional families especially in rural and deprived areas continued to lack access to quality healthcare and safe drinking water with untold hardships on children.

According to her, CCFC had created a future of hope for many children through supporting community development and poverty alleviation as well as social support networks.

“Sustainable economic development of a nation is assured when its children are healthy, well educated and free from social abuse.”

Madam Nantogma said more than 35 school buildings have been constructed by the CCFC, whilst more than 100 persons sponsored to become trained teachers.

She said the organisation had de-wormed almost all school children in the Northern Region while credit facilities were extended to 3,000 individuals to raise their income.

Source: GNA