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The World Health Organization (WHO), the African Media and Malaria Research Network (AMMREN), and the Ghana Health Service (GHS) have jointly called on the media to intensify efforts in promoting vaccine uptake and tackling misinformation, as Ghana marks African Vaccination Week 2025 alongside Child Health Promotion Week.
A special virtual webinar held under the theme “Every Child Deserves a Healthy Future: Invest in Your Child” brought together media editors, health professionals, and development partners to highlight the vital role of immunisation in protecting public health and achieving universal health coverage.
Immunisation: A Basic Right and Wise Investment
Representing the WHO Country Office in Ghana, Dr Frank John Lule stressed that vaccines have saved over 154 million lives in the past 50 years, reducing infant mortality by 40% and protecting against more than 30 deadly diseases.
“Immunisation is not only one of the most effective tools in public health; it is a basic right and a crucial investment in our collective future,” Dr Lule noted.
This year’s theme for the vaccination week, “Every Child deserves a healthy future; invest in your child. Attend ‘weighing regularly,” speaks directly to our shared mission as communicators and storytellers.
Vaccination is one of the most effective public health interventions known to humanity, and yet, its success depends not only on science and logistics, but also on trust, information, and public confidence. And that’s where journalists come in.
Indeed, vaccination is a crucial public health measure that has helped to eradicate deadly diseases and save millions of lives. However, vaccine uptake depends largely on what information is shared.
In an era where misinformation can spread faster than any virus, journalists have a responsibility not just to report, but to educate, to clarify, and to champion the truth.
Whether it’s countering vaccine myths, sharing personal testimonies, or highlighting the work of frontline health workers, journalists have a pivotal role in shaping the national narrative.
As a proud partner of the EPI, AMMREN is committed to empowering journalists with the right tools and data to tell impactful, evidence-based stories. The webinar today is about reinforcing that commitment. It’s about equipping journalists with insights, deepening their partnership with health experts, and encouraging them to be bold and commited in the coverage of immunisation and child health issues.
As we mark this important week, AMMREN call on all stakeholders—government agencies, health professionals, traditional and religious leaders, civil society and the media to continue working together to strengthen immunisation coverage, particularly in hard-to-reach and underserved communities.
AMMREN urges every journalist on the call today to take up the mantle of Health Champion. Go beyond the press releases.
Tell the stories of mothers walking miles to vaccinate their children. Highlight local successes and persistent gaps. Hold institutions accountable. But do so with compassion, accuracy, and an unwavering focus on public good.
