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Winning trust: A reluctant father’s change of heart on vaccination for his child
In the Ketu North District of Ghana, Erica Doe Hormeku, a passionate Community Health Nurse (CHN) at the Kasu Health Centre, dedicates herself to ensuring every child receives their routine immunisation.
Brimming with enthusiasm and commitment, Erica tirelessly follows up with caregivers, even those hesitant about vaccinating their children.
Despite her best efforts, there are a few who remain adamant, which worries her deeply.
“Some caregivers refuse vaccination for their children, and we follow up to talk to them. Many of these cases have been overturned, but others remain. My fear is that such attitudes are ‘infectious’ and could potentially impact vaccine uptake,” Erica shares.
One such case involved David, a 46-year-old teacher and father of four, who refused to have his youngest child, Dennis, vaccinated, even though his other children were fully vaccinated and remained healthy.
At three years old, Dennis had only received the Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine at birth. Under Ghana’s national immunisation schedule, Dennis should have completed his routine vaccinations by 18 months. However, missed doses can still be administered until age five.
David’s reluctance stemmed from a deep mistrust of vaccines. “My parents told me I was not given any vaccines as a child, but I am healthy. These vaccines contain germs that cause illness instead of the so-called protection. I want to use my son to prove to everyone that vaccines are not relevant,” he stressed when health workers visited his home.
Thanks to funding from Canada Global Initiative for Vaccine Equity (CanGIVE), Erica and a team from World Health Organisation (WHO) Ghana made a follow-up visit to David’s home. They spent time explaining to him and his partner, Janet, the benefits of vaccination, the safety measures in place, and the risks of leaving a child unvaccinated.
Dr Kwadwo Asante-Afari, WHO’s Technical Officer for Risk Communication and Community Engagement, shared his expertise during the discussion, saying, “Vaccines have contributed significantly to the reduction of deaths and illness, especially among children. Some diseases, including measles and polio, that once killed and maimed children are no longer encountered as often.”
After a thorough conversation, David’s stance began to shift. “I see the importance now, and I want to make sure my son is protected,” he said, agreeing to allow Dennis to receive his missed vaccines. A vaccination plan was created with input from the family, addressing concerns about multiple injections. Dennis was immediately vaccinated with oral polio vaccine, inactivated polio vaccine, pentavalent vaccine, and pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, with a follow-up schedule to complete the remaining doses.
Dennis’ mother, Janet, expressed her relief, saying, “It has always been my prayer that my partner agrees to Dennis’ vaccination just as the other children, and I am happy you defied the terrain and came this far to speak with him. I now have the assurance of my son’s protection against vaccine-preventable diseases.”
Gariba Abubakar Sumaila, the District Director of Health Services, acknowledged the positive impact of the intervention. “We shall work with the family to complete Dennis’ vaccination as planned. WHO’s intervention has been very impactful and will go a long way to strengthen demand for immunisation beyond this case. We have learned a lot from your approach and will scale it up to ensure every child benefits from vaccination”, he explained.
This successful engagement not only ensured Dennis received his vaccination but also strengthened community trust in immunisation. It’s a reminder that changing hearts and minds requires patience, dedication, and a commitment to protecting future generations.
THE Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MOGCSP), Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, has called on traditional authorities, religious leaders and community influencers to stop shielding perpetrators of gender-based violence and allow the law to work.
She said too many cases were being buried at the community level, with abusers protected while victims were pressured into silence. This, she stressed, must end.
Dr Lartey made the call on Tuesday at the national launch of the 2025, 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign, held at the Kaneshie Main Station in Accra.
This year’s campaign, observed globally from November 25 to December 10, is on the theme: ‘Unite! End Digital Violence Against Women and Girls.’
It highlights rising incidents of cyberbullying, online stalking, image-based exploitation and other forms of technology-facilitated abuse that disproportionately affect women and girls.
The minister urged the media to use their platforms to condemn abuse and intensify education, noting that no person should “die in silence’’ in a society that values dignity, equality and the principles of Sustainable Development Goal 5.
She also encouraged women, girls, men and boys to report any form of abuse, assuring the public that support services were available to all, regardless of age or social status.
Dr Lartey described gender-based violence as one of the most pervasive human rights violations in Ghana. She referenced a 2016 Domestic Violence Survey showing that 27.7 per cent of Ghanaian women have experienced domestic violence, as well as a 2014 Demographic and Health Survey which revealed that 32 per cent of girls aged 15–24 believe wife beating was justified—an indication of harmful societal norms.
Calling the situation “unfortunate and sad,” she stressed that the nation must dismantle cultural beliefs that excuse or normalise violence.
Outlining government actions, Dr Lartey announced that Cabinet has approved the revised National Domestic Violence Policy, while the updated Domestic Abuse Bill and its Legislative Instrument were being finalised by the Attorney-General’s Department.
She also disclosed plans to operationalise a national shelter in Accra and begin constructing the 16 regional shelters promised to strengthen protection systems for survivors.
Additionally, the ministry has trained 200 market leaders as paralegals and 100 professionals, including psychologists, medical workers and legal experts, to support victims with referrals and counselling.
UNFPA Country Representative, Dr David Wilfred Ochan, reaffirmed the agency’s support for Ghana’s efforts. He unveiled a nationwide initiative titled “16 Stations, 16 Routes, 16 Destinations,” which will use the country’s public transport system to raise awareness on gender-based violence.
In partnership with the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), the initiative will promote stickers, public announcements, training and codes of conduct to ensure that transport stations become safe spaces where commuters, traders, porters and young people can access information and hotline services to report or prevent abuse.
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CHILD Rights International (CRI) is urging the government to adopt a firm and comprehensive national policy to safeguard the religious rights of students in secondary schools, insisting that no child should be denied education or the freedom to express their faith.
In a statement issued on Thursday in Accra, the organisation said the recent controversy involving Wesley Girls’ Senior High School highlights deep-seated gaps in how children’s rights were upheld within the country’s long-standing educational structures.
According to CRI, the incident underscores the need for Ghana to reassess the relationship between school traditions and the constitutional rights of students.
The group emphasised that the right to education and the right to religious expression were fundamental, and must be reflected consistently in rules and practices across all schools.
Additionally, CRI noted that many well-known mission institutions such as Holy Child School and St. Louis Senior High School operate on religious foundations that have shaped their administrative cultures for decades.
These differ significantly from state-established schools like Ghana Senior High School in Koforidua, Tamale Senior High School and Achimota Senior High School.
This contrast, CRI argued, raises an important national question and what policy framework has guided these mission schools since their incorporation into the public system?
Although the government has declared all such schools secular, they continue to function as government-assisted institutions, maintaining a hybrid structure that leaves them neither fully autonomous nor entirely under the Ghana Education Service (GES).
This unclear arrangement has led to inconsistent rules on discipline, conduct and religious expression from one school to another.
CRI warned that the absence of a unified and enforceable national policy leaves significant gaps in the protection of children’s rights.
While rights may be universal, the group emphasised that their protection depends on strong and clearly defined state regulations.
The organisation further stated that the State has yet to assume full regulatory authority over the schools it supports financially. As a result, key administrative and disciplinary decisions often remain at the discretion of individual school authorities, creating uneven standards nationwide.
For the rights of children, particularly their right to practise their religion to be fully realised, CRI believes the government must move toward full regulatory ownership of all schools it funds or classifies as public.
Without this, tensions between deeply rooted school traditions and constitutional freedoms are likely to persist.
The statement stressed that once a school admits a student, it takes responsibility not only for their academic development but also for respecting their identity, including their religious background. Therefore, no child, CRI insists, should be prevented from practicing their faith within the school environment.
Moreover, the organisation called for the establishment of clear national standards that guide schools on accommodating religious expression without compromising discipline or institutional order.
It also urged the government to strengthen safeguarding systems with firm oversight and routine monitoring to ensure that children’s rights are protected based on national law, not historical customs or administrative discretion.
CRI admonished the government to clarify the official status of government-assisted mission schools to ensure that the rights of all students are upheld consistently across the country.
By Spectator Reporter
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