The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has moved to reassure the public regarding concerns over the withdrawal of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccines following a global recall by the pharmaceutical giant.

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AstraZeneca, known for its pivotal role in vaccine production during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, has initiated a recall worldwide due to the identification of a rare side effect called Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS).

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This syndrome is characterized by the formation of blood clots that can obstruct veins or arteries, potentially causing symptoms like leg pain and swelling, chest discomfort, or numbness on one side of the body.

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The associated health risks such as strokes or heart attacks are deemed serious and potentially life-threatening.

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The recall, attributed to an excess of updated vaccines post-pandemic, does not signal immediate health concerns, according to Dr. Kwame Amponsa-Achiano, Manager of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation at the GHS.

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In an interview with Selorm Adonoo on Citi FM's Eyewitness News, Dr. Amponsa-Achiano emphasized that the withdrawal of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine was primarily due to commercial reasons.

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He urged the public to remain calm, stressing that there is no cause for alarm as currently, only the J&J COVID-19 vaccine is available.

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Dr. Amponsa-Achiano noted that market authorization holders opted not to pursue AstraZeneca vaccines for commercial considerations, leaving J&J as the sole vaccine in use in Ghana.

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“We believe that there is no cause for alarm…incidentally, if you’ve been following us we don’t have AstraZeneca because it was not eventually authorised for use. The market authorization holders did not pursue that for commercial reasons.”

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“Ghana is a very small market, So the only vaccine we have which we are using now is J&J. There is no cause for alarm,” he stated.

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