Pharm. Patrick Owusu-Danso, Acting Director of the Food and Drugs Authority’s (FDA) Centre for Laboratory Services and Research, has reassured the public that vaccines are safe and that they undergo extensive clinical testing before being made available to the general public.
The public is assured of their safety when they receive any vaccination that has been reviewed and approved by the FDA, he said, because vaccines are guaranteed to meet safety standards and guidelines for vaccine regulation before being made available for use.
He was speaking at a two-day training on vaccine communication and advocacy that the National Vaccine Institute (NVI), in partnership with the African Media and Malaria Research Network (AMMREN) and the Ghana Health Service (GHS), was holding in Accra for a selected group of journalists from throughout the nation.
According to Pharm. Owusu-Danso, the FDA’s vision is anchored on safeguarding the health of Ghanaians while striving to be a global leader in food and medical product regulation.
He stressed that the agency will never compromise on standards that could endanger public safety. The FDA’s mandate covers the regulation and control of human and veterinary drugs, foods, biological products, cosmetics, medical devices, household chemicals, clinical trials, and tobacco products, ensuring they meet required safety and quality standards.
He emphasised that the FDA’s rigorous vaccine regulations protect safety, quality, and effectiveness, assuring Ghanaians that all approved vaccines are safe to receive.
According to Dr. (Med) Naziru Tanko Mohammed, vaccination has achieved remarkable public health milestones, such as the global eradication of smallpox, the near-eradication of poliomyelitis, and the elimination of measles in various regions.
He noted that vaccines function by activating the immune system to develop durable protection against targeted pathogens and infectious agents.
Dr. Mohammed cited vaccine hesitancy among adults and vaccine misinformation as major hurdles. He urged the media to keep the public informed about the importance of vaccines, the diseases they prevent, and vaccination schedules and sites.
