From Sceptic to Advocate: A father’s role in transforming childhood immunization in Ghana
November 21st, 2024 | story
A female nurse (far left) poses with community members after a discussion on the importance of immunization. Credit: JSI
This is an excerpt from a story published on Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance‘s website. Read the full piece.
By Richard Adupong
For years, Samuel Buabeng, a welder and father of two in Ghana’s Kpone Katamanso municipality, believed immunisation was solely a mother’s duty. Like many men in his community, he never considered taking an active role in his children’s health care. However, as gender norms within his community began to shift, Samuel joined a profound transformation—challenging long-standing beliefs about men’s involvement in child health care.
When my daughter was younger, I never went with my wife for her vaccinations because I thought mothers were responsible for that,” Samuel recalls. “But now I understand how important it is, and that fathers also play a crucial role in ensuring their children get all their vaccinations.”
Buabeng’s decision to become more involved wasn’t easy. He faced scepticism, even from his own family. “My mother said I was being controlled by my wife when I told her I was taking our son to the clinic for vaccination,” he shares.
But Buabeng was determined to break the cycle. Through a gender-based intervention funded through a cooperative agreement between the Task Force for Global Health and US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and implemented by JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc. (JSI) in collaboration with the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Buabeng attended community education sessions led by local nurses. Now, he advocates for fatherly involvement. “When people see me going to the clinic with my children and wife, they praise me,” he says with pride.
