Vaccines are one of the greatest success stories in public health. Through use of vaccines, we have eradicated smallpox and nearly eliminated wild polio virus. The number of people who experience the devastating effects of preventable infectious diseases like measles, diphtheria, and whooping cough is at an all-time low. To ensure the continued success of vaccines in Ghana, it’s crucial to make sure that vaccines are safe and to also partake in vaccine clinical trials that will benefit the nation in the long term.
The threat posed by the Ebola Viral Disease to the nation is still eminent. Ghana as a nation was considered luck not to have had any confirmed case of Ebola. The question is should we fold our arms and rest on its awls? The answer is a big NO!
In 2014, the global pandemic, especially in the African region wiped out most of the affected communities, health centres and even destroyed the health systems in such countries. The idea of an Ebola Clinical Trial should rather give hope to Ghanaians but not fear.
The hope that we can do something about a disease that killed thousands of people around the world.
Ghana stands to benefit in the Ebola vaccine clinical trial yet to start in Hohoe and Kintampo. These twin trials will not in any way put Ghanaians in danger, but rather a step further to adding up to the known vaccines that have greatly reduced deaths among the populace.
Ghana is not alien to clinical trials. The famous Vitamin A trials, Cerebral Spinal Meningitis (CSM), and currently malaria just to mention but a few are among the quantum of vaccine trials Ghana has undertaking and benefited from.
The three key benefits from the proposed Ebola vaccine to Ghanaians are that;
• Health workers will be confident enough to help treat the disease.
• Families will be protected from cross infections of the Ebola viral disease
• Mass mortality due to the Ebola viral disease will be prevented.
Help educate the general public to canvas support for the twin Ebola vaccine trials yet to start in Hohoe and Kintampo respectively.
Source:RHPU/BAR
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