Power has been cut off to the Keta vaccine storage by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) in an effort to recover debts totaling GH5.7 billion from state-owned institutions.
The power outage poses a risk to the vaccines needed for routine immunization.
Between 800 and more than 2,200 doses of BCG, OPV (polio), PCV (pneumonia), Penta and Rota (diarrhea), and other vaccines are at risk of going to waste.
Other vaccines include those for yellow fever, meningitis, malaria, tetanus, and measles.
Dr. Kwasi Djokoto, the Volta Regional Director of Health Services, revealed that he had hired the power distribution company to bring the power back on.
The Daily Graphic reported that the Keta Municipal Health Directorate, which also houses the vaccine stores that serve all of the area’s healthcare facilities, had been without power for more than 24 hours.
It was explained that the vaccines would start to expire after 24 hours.
The directorate lacks a backup generator.
One of the vaccines that ran the risk of going to waste was a fresh supply for the three pediatric diseases that the municipality received last week.
The disconnection operation ECG is conducting to recover unpaid debts has received calls, according to the managing director of ECG.
Samuel Dubik Mahama claims that friends, influential people, and politicians are calling him.
Because of the $1 billion in unpaid debt to some Independent Power Producers (IPP), according to ECG, it runs the risk of going out of business.
