Kwesi Pratt calls for accountability over vaccine side effects

Kwesi Pratt Jnr, the Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, has voiced criticism against Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), regarding his remarks concerning the withdrawal of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.

During an appearance on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo Morning Show, Pratt argued that the health ministry should prioritize transparency with the Ghanaian populace, emphasizing the

Read full articleneed for clarity regarding the vaccine's withdrawal.

Pratt stressed that the withdrawal of the vaccine is due to identified side effects rather than commercial motives, and he called on Dr. Kuma-Aboagye and his team to address strategies to alleviate these side effects instead of offering unnecessary justifications.

Expressing his concerns, Pratt stated, “Those of us compelled to get vaccinated now face a medical risk. The ministry should be informing us about countermeasures for the side effects to prevent fatalities. The claim that the withdrawal is for commercial, not medical, reasons is unacceptable.”

He further added, “A superior vaccine constitutes a medical rationale. They must provide us with credible information, or we will be justifiably upset. They forced the whole population to take the vaccine; now they’re giving us irrelevant explanations.”

These remarks from Pratt come in response to the Ghana Health Service's explanation for the removal of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, which cited commercial rather than medical reasons.

During a press conference held as part of the COVID-19 Vaccination and Child Health Promotion Week/African Vaccination Week Campaign in Accra’s Ga East Municipality, Dr. Kuma-Aboagye clarified that the decision was driven by commercial factors.