News
HPV Vaccine Not Cause of Infertility — Health Expert
- /home/u249204778/domains/spectator.com.gh/public_html/wp-content/plugins/mvp-social-buttons/mvp-social-buttons.php on line 27
Warning: Trying to access array offset on false in /home/u249204778/domains/spectator.com.gh/public_html/wp-content/plugins/mvp-social-buttons/mvp-social-buttons.php on line 27
&description=HPV Vaccine Not Cause of Infertility — Health Expert', 'pinterestShare', 'width=750,height=350'); return false;" title="Pin This Post">
- Share
- Tweet /home/u249204778/domains/spectator.com.gh/public_html/wp-content/plugins/mvp-social-buttons/mvp-social-buttons.php on line 72
Warning: Trying to access array offset on false in /home/u249204778/domains/spectator.com.gh/public_html/wp-content/plugins/mvp-social-buttons/mvp-social-buttons.php on line 72
&description=HPV Vaccine Not Cause of Infertility — Health Expert', 'pinterestShare', 'width=750,height=350'); return false;" title="Pin This Post">
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
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has strongly criticised the decision of the Court of Appeal to acquit and discharge former Chief Executive Officer of the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), Sedinam Christine Tamakloe Attionu.
In a statement issued on July 30, 2026, the party described the ruling as a “travesty of justice” and claimed it was politically motivated.
The Court of Appeal on Thursday overturned her conviction and 10-year prison sentence, which had been imposed by the High Court in April 2024 on charges including stealing, causing financial loss to the state, money laundering and breaches of the Public Procurement Act.
According to the NPP, the former MASLOC boss was tried for five years and convicted after the High Court examined evidence relating to alleged financial irregularities during her tenure between 2013 and 2016.
The party noted that she left Ghana while the trial was ongoing and was later extradited from the United States, arriving in Ghana on June 9, 2026.
The NPP argued that the trial court had found that her actions caused a loss of nearly GH¢90 million to the state and that the evidence against her was substantial.
It questioned why the conviction was overturned barely seven weeks after her return to Ghana.
The party further accused the Attorney-General of using state institutions to protect people connected to the governing party.
It claimed that several cases involving persons affiliated with the government had been discontinued since January 2025 and that the acquittal of Madam Tamakloe Attionu was part of that pattern.
The NPP linked the decision to the ongoing case involving its Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi.
It called for his immediate acquittal and discharge, arguing that his conviction was also politically motivated.
The party demanded that the Attorney-General publish details of all cases involving persons linked to the governing party that have been withdrawn, discontinued or otherwise terminated since January 2025, including the reasons for those decisions.
It called on the Judicial Council and the leadership of the Judiciary to take steps to restore public confidence in the justice system.
The NPP said it would pursue all lawful avenues, including a possible review at the Supreme Court where applicable, to ensure accountability in cases involving public funds.
The party maintained that the fight against corruption must not be selective and that public resources belong to all Ghanaians.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Former Attorney-General Godfred Yeboah Dame has disagreed with the Court of Appeal’s decision to acquit former MASLOC Chief Executive Officer Sedina Tamakloe Attionu, insisting that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
Mr Dame made the remarks after the Court of Appeal unanimously overturned her conviction and 10-year prison sentence.
He maintained that the evidence presented by the prosecution during the trial was credible and sufficient to support the conviction.
According to him, Ms Tamakloe absconded after she had been confronted with evidence led by the prosecution.
Mr Dame questioned the basis for the acquittal and suggested that the current Attorney-General should explain what led to the Court of Appeal’s decision.
He wondered whether the appeal had been strongly opposed by the state.
When asked whether he would advise the Attorney-General to challenge the ruling, Mr Dame answered in the affirmative.
“Oh, definitely,” he stated.
The former Attorney-General spoke about the ongoing criminal case involving former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.
He indicated that an application for stay of proceedings filed at the High Court had been dismissed, and that a fresh application had been filed at the Court of Appeal.
Mr Dame argued that the charge sheet in the case was defective and that the appellate court should determine the issue before the trial proceeds.
He further criticised the decision to hear the case during the legal vacation, describing it as an “unjustified haste” and saying such trials had not been conducted during vacation periods in the past.
Mr Dame said his legal team would formally protest the directive allowing the case to proceed during the vacation.
The Court of Appeal’s ruling in favour of Ms Tamakloe has become a major legal and political issue, with the Attorney-General’s Department already announcing plans to appeal the decision at the Supreme Court.
By: Jacob Aggrey
