Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh
BY Issah Olegor
The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) in Ghana is set to launch a Pregnancy Registry in early 2026 to monitor the safety of vaccines among pregnant women and their babies.
The initiative, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, will be implemented by the Dodowa and Kintampo Health Research Centres.
Objectives of the Pregnancy Registry
The Pregnancy Registry aims to establish an effective system for evaluating vaccine safety in pregnant women.
The registry will track adverse events from vaccinations and provide comprehensive data on the effects of vaccines on pregnant women and their children.
This will enable the FDA to ensure proper monitoring of pharmaceutical products used during pregnancy.
The registry will involve pregnant women in health facilities within the catchment areas of the two research centres.
The women will receive vaccines and be monitored for safety during pregnancy and after delivery.
Dr. Edwin Nkansah, Director of Vaccines, Vigilance, and Clinical Trials at the FDA, said the project will monitor how pregnant women react at every stage of their pregnancy when they receive a vaccine.
Importance of the Registry
Pregnant women face a higher risk of contracting diseases that could lead to mortality.
The Pregnancy Registry will provide valuable data on vaccine safety and effectiveness in pregnant women, which will inform policy decisions and guide the development of vaccines and pharmaceutical products for use during pregnancy.
Vaccine Trials
The project will also include vaccine trials for Respiratory Syncytial Virus and Group B Streptococcal Pneumonia to protect both pregnant women and their babies in early life.
Dr. Frank Atuguba, Director of Dodowa Health Research Centre, said 150 women from the project areas had been selected for initial monitoring of maternal health records from early pregnancy until delivery.
