News
HPV Vaccine Not Cause of Infertility — Health Expert
As Ghana rolls out the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine for girls aged nine to 14 years, health officials have urged parents to disregard rumours that the vaccine can cause infertility.
The District Director of Health Services for Awutu Senya, Dr. Felix Gerald Kwaning Darbbey, says such claims are false and intended to discourage families from protecting their daughters against cervical cancer, one of the most common and deadly cancers among Ghanaian women.
“There is no scientific evidence anywhere that the HPV vaccine causes infertility. On the contrary, the vaccine prevents diseases that can cause infertility such as advanced cervical cancer,” he explained in an exclusive interview with The Spectator.
He said countries that introduced the vaccine over a decade ago have “seen no link to fertility problems,” adding that assertions that the vaccines may encourage early sexual initiation among girls are also unfounded.
“These myths seek to distract people from the issue, which is protecting our daughters from a preventable cancer. It is not about encouraging sex, it is about safeguarding the health of our girls,” Dr. Darbbey asserted.
He urged parents and caregivers to support the vaccination campaign by getting their girls vaccinated before they are exposed to HPV, which could affect them later in life.
“Parents should see this as a gift of protection for their daughters. The HPV vaccine is not just about today, it is about the future.
“A nine-year-old girl may not understand the benefit now, but what we are doing is giving her the chance to grow into a healthy woman, free from the fear of cervical cancer. This is a transformational moment for Ghana’s health system; let us all play our part to protect the next generation of women,” he said.
Ghana records more than 3,000 new cervical cancer cases each year, leading to about 2,000 deaths, according to the Ghana Health Service (GHS).
The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends the HPV vaccine as one of the safest and most effective preventive tools in the world to reduce the global burden of cervical cancer.
Over 140 countries, including 28 African nations, have so far rolled out the vaccine.
By Abigail Annoh
Join our WhatsApp Channel now!
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBElzjInlqHhl1aTU27
Mrs Patience Antonio, a Child and Family Development Advocate, has called for a national campaign to reduce the growing reliance on breast milk substitutes among nursing mothers in Ghana.
According to Mrs Antonio, scientific evidence shows that breastfeeding improves a child’s emotional stability, boosts intelligence, strengthens the immune system, and provides long-term health benefits. She made these remarks in an interview with The Spectator in Accra last week, emphasizing the importance of breastfeeding for a child’s overall development.
She explained that breastfeeding is not just a biological act of feeding but a key emotional and developmental bridge between mother and child. She also highlighted the need for the recommended six-month maternity leave period to ease the pressure on mothers to return to work prematurely.
“Breastfeeding creates intimacy and trust. It assures the baby of love and security, which becomes the foundation for their emotional health,” Mrs Antonio noted, warning that abandoning exclusive breastfeeding could have long-term implications on children’s social and emotional wellbeing.
Consequently, she called for a minimum of five months of fully paid maternity leave for Ghanaian mothers to enable effective breastfeeding, bonding, and healthier child development. She also urged workplaces to implement family-friendly policies, including private spaces for breastfeeding, flexible working arrangements for nursing mothers, and stronger support systems for new parents.
Mrs Antonio further encouraged families and society to actively support mothers during breastfeeding, stressing that many women struggle due to lack of assistance at home or the pressure to return to work too soon. She emphasized, “If we want a healthier, emotionally stable generation, then we must make breastfeeding a priority and support mothers to do it without stress.”
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
Spectator
Join our WhatsApp Channel now!
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBElzjInlqHhl1aTU27
The Nanvili Community School in the Mion District of the Northern Region is facing severe infrastructural challenges, affecting teaching and learning for pupils in the area.
The school, which serves five surrounding communities with a total of 58 pupils, has deteriorated to the extent that many children have stopped attending classes. Poor classroom conditions and the lack of desks have made teaching and learning difficult. During a visit to the school, the gate-free classrooms were found filled with goat and sheep droppings.
During the rainy season, both teachers and pupils are often cut off from the school due to bad roads and flooding. Teaching activities are frequently suspended for weeks, negatively affecting academic performance.
The Assemblyman for the area, Mr. Dawuni Mutawakil, expressed concern, noting that the situation is worrying since these pupils are expected to compete with their counterparts in urban areas who have access to better facilities. He added that due to limited space, classes have been merged, with pupils from Primary One and Two, Three and Four, and Five and Six sharing the same classrooms.
The Chief of Nanvili, Abu Kassim, also appealed to the government and non-governmental organisations to come to the aid of the community. He emphasized that the current state of the school discourages children from nearby communities from attending.
Both the Chief and Assemblyman have called for urgent intervention to improve infrastructure and provide furniture for the pupils to ensure quality education for children in the Nanvili area.
By Geoffrey Buta, Nanvili, Northern Region
Spectator
Join our WhatsApp Channel now!
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBElzjInlqHhl1aTU27
