Mr Kwaku Agyeman Manu, the Minister of Health has advised parents to allow their children, below two years, to be vaccinated against malaria to stimulate nation's efforts to eradicate malaria in the country by 2030.

He emphasized that malaria vaccine remained safe, effective and well tolerated and had no debilitating consequences on the health of children.

Mr Agyeman Manu have the advice when speaking at the launching of the expansion of the malaria vaccine implementation programme in Sunyani on the theme, "malaria vaccine for addition treatment."

The Ghana Health Service with support from it's partners including GAVI, PATH and WHO is implementing the pilot programme in parts of the country.

Me Agyeman Manu explained that vaccination not only protected and saved the lives of children, but also remained one of the most cost effective public health interventions and the best way to help children survive.

Considered to be cornerstone of public health care, the Health Minister said globally vaccination saved there million children from childhood diseases every year and urges caregivers and parents to capitalize on the programme and vaccinate their eligible children.

Dr Patrick Kuma Aboagye, the Director General of the Ghana Health Service said the malaria vaccine reduced the number of times a child gets malaria and reduced child deaths as well.

He explained children get the first dose of the vaccine from six months of age and the final dose at 18 months, a department from the previous schedule of 24 months for the final dose.

"The new schedule is therefore, six months, seven months, nine months and 18 months", Dr Kuma Aboagye explained, saying to get the maximum protection a child must receive all the four doses.

Source: Ghana/Sompaonline.com/ K.Peprah