The Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi, says the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has denied his request for certified true copies of reports on the adverse events associated with the deployment of each of the COVID-19 vaccines.
In a Facebook post, Sammy Gyamfi said the FDA’s denial was based on grounds of protecting the medical records of citizens.
The NDC communicator on December 16, 2021 made a request pursuant to the Right to Information Act, 2019 for information about the approval status of COVID-19 vaccines and related documents.
But the FDA in response through its Information Officer in a letter dated December 22, 2021, provided information on the approval status of the vaccines and denied the request on the certified true copies.
“The FDA granted my first request and provided me with information about the approval status of COVID-19 vaccines in which they indicated that the said vaccines have only been granted Emergency Use Authorization.
“Surprisingly, the FDA refused my second request which relates to certified true copies of adverse events associated with the deployment of each of the said COVID-19 vaccines on grounds that they contain personal and medical communication of citizens which ought to be protected,” Sammy Gyamfi said in a post on Facebook.
According to Sammy Gyamfi, the FDA’s information on the approval status of the vaccines contradicts the stance of the Ghana Health Service on the vaccine’s approval status.
“It is instructive to note that this vital information contradicts the claim by the Ghana Health Service and the Ghana Airport Company that the said vaccines have been “registered and approved” by the FDA as contained in their compulsory vaccination directives for persons traveling into or out of Ghana through the Kotoka International Airport,” he noted in the post.
The NDC communicator has therefore written to the Authority for a review of its decision.
“Aggrieved by this manifestly wrongful and unlawful decision of the information officer of the FDA, I have applied to the CEO of the Authority for a review of the said decision today, pursuant to Section 31 of the Right to Information Act, 2019.
If all persons in Ghana, including citizens are being compelled to take these vaccines lest they lose their constitutionally guaranteed freedom of movement, then I believe it is only fair that information on adverse events associated with the said vaccines are released to the general public. Transparency is all I am asking for,” he stated.
Below is his post on Facebook