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294 girls miss HPV vaccination …due to lack of parental consent
A total of 294 girls missed out on the first phase of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination exercise in the Ayawaso West Municipality, following challenges with parental consent.
Out of the 997 girls targeted in the first round in October this year, only 703 received the vaccine, representing 70 per cent coverage.
Ms Patience Adoli Kporxah, a Public Health Nurse at the Roman Ridge Sub-Municipal Health Directorate, disclosed this in an interview with The Spectator, identifying parents’ refusal to grant consent as the major obstacle to achieving the vaccination target.
“One of our major challenges was the lack of consent from parents. A lot of parents did not give their consent for their wards to receive the vaccine,” she revealed.
She explained that the directorate had embarked on extensive public education and stakeholder engagements before the exercise to encourage parents to allow their daughters to receive the vaccine.
The interventions included media publicity, letters sent to schools to inform parents, engagements with parents during Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) meetings, and consultations with community leaders.
Churches, mosques and media houses within the municipality were also engaged to help spread information about the vaccination exercise.
Despite the challenges, Ms Kporxah said the directorate had adequate logistics to undertake the exercise, indicating that the major difficulty was securing parental approval rather than a shortage of resources.
She said the Directorate would intensify its engagement with parents, teachers and other stakeholders ahead of the next phase to improve acceptance and coverage.
Ms Kporxah also urged parents whose daughters missed the exercise to take advantage of the opportunity to get them vaccinated at any government health facility, since the HPV vaccine had now been incorporated into Ghana’s routine immunisation programme.
She expressed optimism about the second round of the exercise, scheduled for November and December, saying the directorate would sustain its engagement with schools and parents in order to ensure that more eligible girls received the vaccine.
The HPV vaccine protects against infection with certain types of Human Papillomavirus, which cause nearly all cases of cervical cancer. Health authorities continue to encourage vaccination as a key preventive measure against the disease.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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As part of activities marking Customer Service Week, the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has awarded 10 Special Load Tariff (SLT) customers in the Ashanti West Region.
On October 27-29, 2026, the Management of the Ashanti West Region visited these key partners to present them with prestigious plaques and branded ECG souvenirs.
The awards celebrated their valued partnership, consistent patronage, prompt bill payments, and enduring loyalty to the ECG brand.
The 10 companies included XY Plywood Ghana, World Cool Stone Quarry, Asawus Company Limited, Kumasi Cement Ghana Limited, Niwota Company, Lancaster Kumasi City Hotel, Guinness Ghana Limited, Twellium Ghana Company Limited, Kasapreko Company Limited PLC and China Mall Kumasi.
Beyond honouring the organisations, the outreach provided regional management with a valuable platform to interact directly with these strategic stakeholders, gain firsthand insight into their operations, and address their teething operational challenges.
Addressing the awardees, Mr George Amoah, General Manager for the Ashanti West Region, expressed gratitude for their contributions to ECG’s success.
He highlighted the inscription on the commemorative plaque: “The Management and Staff of Ashanti West Region present this prestigious award to your reputable company in recognition for your valued partnership, consistent excellence and loyalty to the company. Thank you for choosing ECG.”
Reiterating the theme of the week, Ing. Amoah emphasised that going “the extra mile” was more than a mantra—it is a core work ethic instilled across all staff members in the region.
“We want to keep the lights on to ensure your business is profitable so that you can continue to employ more people to give our youth a better future,” Mr Amoah stated.
He disclosed that ECG was undertaking numerous system improvement projects across the region to stabilise power supply, increase operational capacity, and attract prospective investors.
Speaking on behalf of the recipients, Mr Manikandan Krishnan, Head of Maintenance at Kasapreko Company Ltd PLC, expressed appreciation to ECG for the recognition and for supporting their business growth.
From Kingsley E. Hope, Kumasi
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Pognaa Rosemary Bangzie Mumwilma I, Queen Mother of Duong in the Nadowli-Kaleo District, has urged women and young girls to prioritise breast and cervical cancer screening to reduce risk factors and improve their well-being.
She said regular screening and early detection were critical to the prevention and treatment of breast and cervical cancers.
Pognaa Mumwilma made the call during a community durbar and free breast and cervical cancer screening exercise held at the St. Anne Health Centre in Duong.
The durbar organised by the Queen Mother and sponsored by CARE Diagnostics Services, was aimed at creating awareness of the signs, symptoms and prevention of the diseases.
It also sought to encourage women and young girls to seek regular screening and treatment without fear or stigma.
The initiative formed part of preparations towards the Mumwille Pog-Yaare 2027 Homecoming celebration and provided an opportunity to engage parents, schoolgirls and other stakeholders on issues affecting girls’ education and academic performance.
Addressing participants, Pognaa Mumwilma described breast cancer as a major public health challenge affecting millions of people across the world.
She noted that many women in Ghana were diagnosed at advanced stages of the disease due to limited awareness, misconceptions, fear of diagnosis and the high cost of screening, particularly among rural women.
She, therefore, called for sustained public education on breast and cervical cancers and advocated the integration of breast cancer awareness into school curricula and community outreach programmes.
According to her, such interventions would help reduce the burden of breast cancer and improve health outcomes among women.
The Queen Mother also advocated policies to make breast cancer examinations more accessible and affordable, especially in public health facilities, to encourage regular screening and reduce late diagnosis.
Dr Theresa Salifu, Chief Executive Officer of CARE Diagnostics Services, said early detection remained key to successful breast cancer treatment and urged women to make regular health screening a priority.
She advised women to seek medical attention immediately they noticed unusual changes in their breasts rather than waiting for symptoms to worsen.
Dr Salifu cautioned against relying on traditional remedies when symptoms of breast cancer were detected, saying such practices often delayed proper treatment and complicated medical conditions.
She explained that not all breast lumps were cancerous and encouraged women to seek prompt medical assessment whenever they observed unusual changes.
“Breast cancer sometimes occurs without pain, particularly in its early stages. But once a new lump is formed in your breast or armpit, or there are changes in the size of the breast, seek immediate medical attention,” she explained.
A total of 170 women and young girls underwent screening during the exercise.
Of the number screened, 10 women and girls, including two schoolgirls aged between 15 and 17 years, were identified with breast or cervical lumps and referred for further clinical assessment.
Madam Theresa Kayiwie, one of the beneficiaries, expressed gratitude to the Queen Mother and CARE Diagnostics Services for organising the exercise. -GNA
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