An interview with Dr. Sandra Kwarteng Owusu, Consultant Paediatrician and Paediatric Pulmonologist at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital and KNUST
Ghana has vaccines that protect against pneumonia. They are widely available and free of charge. Children are still dying from it. That is the quiet paradox that Dr. Sandra Kwarteng Owusu, who founded Ghana’s first dedicated paediatric pulmonology service at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi, has spent her career trying to resolve. Ahead of World Immunization Week, she sat down with NewsGhana to explain what the data reveals, what parents must watch for, and why the gap between vaccine availability and child survival remains stubbornly wide.
Why are children in Ghana still dying from pneumonia despite the availability of vaccines?
Pneumonia remains one of the leading causes of serious illness and death in young children. Vaccines introduced over the past three decades have resulted in a significant drop in deaths. In spite of that remarkable success, we need to continue working towards sustaining high overall vaccine coverage. There are children who miss one or more vaccine doses due to barriers like access, transportation to a vaccination centre, or because their caregivers refuse to allow them to be vaccinated. Pneumonia can progress very quickly, sometimes becoming fatal before a child reaches the next level of care. The reality is that these deaths are preventable.
What does the current vaccination coverage rate tell us about gaps in the system?
As a country, we have done well overall, but important gaps remain, especially in rural and hard-to-reach communities where access can be limited. Factors like distance, farming seasons, and missed appointments mean some children fall behind or receive no vaccines at all. While health workers are working hard to close these gaps, a small number of children are still being missed, and those are often the children most at risk.
How significant is vaccine hesitancy in Ghana, and where is the misinformation coming from?
Vaccine hesitancy has increased following the COVID-19 pandemic and remains a concern. Misinformation, particularly through social media, and in some cases religious beliefs, can create doubt about vaccine safety and lead to delays or refusals. Continued education and community engagement are critical to addressing this. We should all continue to educate communities that vaccines are safe and they save lives.
What warning signs of pneumonia should parents watch for?
Pneumonia can start with symptoms that may seem mild, such as cough and fever, but parents should watch closely for fast or difficult breathing, abnormal chest wall movement, difficulty feeding, or unusual weakness. These are signs that a child needs urgent medical attention.
How quickly can the situation become life-threatening?
Very quickly. In some cases, a child can deteriorate rapidly, even between one health facility and the next referral point, and may die if care is delayed. You carry a child for nine months, but everything can change in a matter of hours if they are not protected.
What immediate steps can families take?
Families should ensure their children receive all recommended vaccine doses by visiting vaccination centres and returning for follow-ups. They must allow children to be vaccinated when a healthcare worker visits their home. If there are questions or concerns, speak with health workers. Vaccines are safe and protect children from serious diseases, including pneumonia.
How urgent is the risk of outbreaks when vaccination rates decline?
The risk is very urgent. An outbreak anywhere in Ghana can quickly spread across the country. When vaccination rates decline, herd immunity drops, increasing the likelihood of outbreaks like measles, which can overwhelm the health system.
The stakes are heightened by a significant policy transition: Ghana is in the process of graduating from donor co-financing to full domestic funding of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) in 2026, a shift that will require sustained government commitment to maintain the coverage gains achieved over the past decade. Recent analysis shows that only 56.45 percent of Ghanaian children aged 12 to 35 months are fully vaccinated according to the national immunisation schedule, with significant regional disparities persisting.
