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Kwesi Pratt has hurled tirade at the Ghana Health Service (GHS) for saying the withdrawal of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine is for commercial reasons.

According to reports, AstraZeneca is withdrawing its Covid-19 vaccine worldwide, months after the pharma giant admitted the drug could cause life-threatening injuries.

The application to withdraw the vaccine was reportedly made on March 5 and came into effect on 7 May.

The pharmaceutical giant acknowledged the existence of an uncommon adverse effect known as Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS).

This condition, characterized by the formation of blood clots that obstruct veins or arteries, can manifest through symptoms such as unilateral leg pain and swelling, chest discomfort, or one-sided body numbness; according to research.

The Ghana Health Service has also announced that the AstraZeneca vaccines will no longer be administered to Ghanaians.

Speaking during a tour as part of the COVID-19 Vaccination and Child Health Promotion Week/African Vaccination Week Campaign in various parts of the Ga East Municipality in Accra on Wednesday, the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye however clarified that the reason for the vaccine withdrawal stating it has no medical connection.

“They are withdrawing for commercial reasons in the sense that there are superior vaccines in the market...And so if you are in a market and you will not be able to compete why produce something when others will go for some other brand”, he stated.

But the seasoned journalist, Kwesi Pratt, has slammed the GHS boss over his comments asking "are you now PRO for the (AstraZeneca) company?"

To Kwesi Pratt, the remark by Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye doesn't show the vaccines have been withdrawn for commercial reasons, stressing the Health Service must respect Ghanaians and stop acting as Public Relations Officers (PRO) for the manufacturers.

"Our public officials have suddenly turned into the PRO for the company. What is the meaning of this? I thought they should be interested in the public health of Ghanaian citizens and not the propaganda of the company. I'm very angry; you are toying with human life. I'm so ashamed of some of these people", he fumed while speaking on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" show.

He wonders why the GHS Director-General is seemingly defending the AstraZeneca company at the expense of Ghanaian lives, adding Thrombosis is lethal disease.

"If a vaccine is inferior, it means that it has side effects. It means it doesn't work for the purposes it was intended and so on...I'm so angry, so angry!"