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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.
A woman who is accused of bolting with ‘susu’ money totaling GH₵156,445 has appeared before an Accra Circuit Court.
Martha Nana Esi Afful was alleged to have collected the money from 35 complainants.
Charged with 35 counts of fraudulent breach of trust, Martha, who was earlier remanded, pleaded not guilty.
The court, presided over by Mr Joseph Y. Kuunsong on Wednesday, admitted the accused person to a GH₵200,000 bail with two sureties.
One of the sureties, the court said, must be a public servant earning not less than GH₵5,000.
She is expected to reappear on August 12, 2026.
The Prosecution’s case before the court is that the complainants are traders and residents at La in Accra.
Prosecution described Martha as a ‘Susu’ collector, who resided at Burma Camp.
The court heard that the accused person run a business with the name ‘ZOE’ and she deceived the 35 complainants into believing that she collected ‘Susu’ daily, which was kept for a period of one-three years, and paid interest on the money invested.
The complainants contributed in 2023 for a three-year period, prosecution said.
In December 2025, when the complainants went to take their money with interest, Martha went into hiding and only took phone calls from a few complainants.
Prosecution said the accused provided a MTN Momo number through which a few of the complainants still paid monies.
It said all efforts made to collect the money, totaling GH₵156,445 from her, proved futile.
On June 14, 2026, a report was made to the police and Martha was picked up at a washing bay at Tse Addo.
During interrogation, she admitted the offence in her caution statement, saying she lost her husband and relocated to Swedru in the Central Region, hence the complainants were unable to reach her from December 2025 till date.
Prosecution said Martha further stated that she had invested the monies into refuse collection business and she needed time to pay the amount.
Police are investigating the claims. –GNA
A Public Health Nurse at the Roman Ridge Sub-Municipal of the Ayawaso West Health Directorate, Ms Patience Adoli Kporxah, has cautioned the public against coming into contact with floodwaters, warning that exposure can lead to serious diseases, infections and injuries.
Floodwater, she said, should always be treated as contaminated, regardless of how clean it appears, because it may contain sewage, human and animal waste, chemicals, fuel, sharp objects and disease-causing micro-organisms.
In an interview with The Spectator in Accra on Thursday, Ms Kporxah explained that contact with contaminated floodwater exposes people to bacteria, viruses, parasites, hazardous chemicals and other physical hazards that can result in illness or injury.
Her advice came in the wake of recent exposure to floodwater following Monday’s torrential rains that left vast areas of the capital flooded.
As a result, a lot of people were seen either ‘swimming’ in the floodwater to rescue people or retrieving items being washed away.
According to her, exposure to floodwater could cause skin infections, particularly where there are cuts or open wounds, as well as diarrhoea diseases such as cholera, typhoid fever, dysentery and other forms of gastroenteritis if contaminated water was swallowed.
Other health risks, she said include hepatitis A, eye and ear infections, tetanus in people with untreated wounds or incomplete vaccination, and injuries from submerged sharp objects, debris or electrical hazards.
Ms Kporxah advised anyone who had contact with floodwater to monitor their health closely and seek immediate medical attention if they develop symptoms such as fever, diarrhoea, vomiting, abdominal pain, severe headache, muscle aches, skin rash, difficulty breathing, or yellowing of the eyes or skin.
She also urged people whose wounds became red, swollen, painful or begin to discharge pus, as well as those who accidentally swallow floodwater, to report to the nearest health facility without delay.
Although not everyone exposed to floodwater requires immediate treatment, she stressed that pregnant women, people with weakened immune systems, individuals living with chronic illnesses and those with significant wounds should seek prompt medical evaluation.
On water safety, Ms Kporxah cautioned that rainwater was not automatically safe for drinking or cooking, especially during or after flooding. She explained that rainwater collected from roofs, gutters or open containers could be contaminated by bird and animal droppings, dust, leaves, bacteria, viruses, parasites and chemical pollutants.
She advised that rainwater intended for drinking should first be treated by boiling, chlorination or another approved water purification method before use.
Touching on food safety, Ms Kporxah said factory-sealed bottled drinks and canned foods with intact packaging might still be safe after flooding.
However, she stressed that any containers submerged in floodwater should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before handling. Foods in paper packaging, damaged containers or products with broken seals should be discarded because contaminated water may have seeped into them.
She further warned that flooding increases the risk of outbreaks of cholera, typhoid fever and other waterborne diseases through contaminated water sources.
In addition, she said flooding could contribute to respiratory illnesses in overcrowded shelters and mould-infested buildings, foodborne illnesses from spoiled or contaminated food, and mental health conditions such as anxiety, stress, depression and trauma.
It could also disrupt access to medicines and healthcare for people living with chronic conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, asthma and kidney disease.
Ms Kporxah therefore urged the public to practice good hygiene, avoid unnecessary contact with floodwater, consume only safe food and drinking water, and seek medical attention promptly whenever symptoms develop.
She said observing these preventive measures would help minimise the risk of disease outbreaks and protect lives as the country continues to experience heavy rains and flooding in some communities.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
