GHS targets vaccinating 20 million Ghanaians by end of 2021

The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has said the national target is to reach at least a 60 per cent herd immunity by vaccinating 20 million people by the close of the year against COVID-19.

According to the GHS, over 9 million vaccines are currently available in Ghana for use.

The Ghana Health Service is beginning a new campaign to get more people vaccinated following the discovery of a new variant of the virus by scientists in some countries.

An official from the Ghana Health Service, in a Citi News interview thus said it will target vaccinating 20 million Ghanaians by end of the year.

He explained that the availability of vaccines isn’t a problem but getting Ghanaians to take the vaccines is what is an issue to the GHS now.

“The availability of vaccines isn’t an issue but getting Ghanaians to take the vaccines is what will be an issue. Now the issue of access is not an issue but the uptake. However, I’m sure we will even pass the 20 million target because the vaccines are there but the number of Ghanaians who will take is an issue for us right now.”

More vaccines

Already, the Ministry of Health has taken delivery of additional 3,086,280 doses of COVID-19 vaccines to boost the national journey towards herd immunity.

The number comprises 1.2 million doses of Johnson & Johnson vaccines purchased by the government under the African Vaccine Acquisition Trust (AVAT) and 1,736,280 doses of Pfizer vaccines from the United States of America, bringing the US-donated vaccines to more than 4.2 million doses since September, and 150,000 doses of the AstraZeneca from the government of Greece.

This brings to 12,324,710 the doses of vaccines that have come into the country so far.

The ministry is expecting over seven million more vaccines before the close of the year.

Data put out by the Ghana Health Service (GHS) indicates that more than 5,451,291 people of the entire population had received their first jabs, while only seven per cent of the number targeted to reach herd immunity has been fully vaccinated.

Fears

On the part of Ghana Medical Association (GMA), it has called on the government to step up its efforts at securing more vaccines for Ghanaians to ensure their safety.

“Our country is currently managing an outbreak of Yellow Fever. The outbreak which was first detected in the Savanna Region has since spread to 8 regions and unfortunately, 40 persons have died (as of 26th November 2021). We express our deepest condolences to those who have lost loved ones to this disease.”

“The Ministry of Health has put in adequate measures to contain the situation with appropriate case definition, case management and vaccination measures. We urge all persons in Ghana, especially those in the affected areas to cooperate with the ongoing vaccination exercise and report any suspected cases (the development of fever and yellowing of the eyes within 14 days of the fever) to the nearest health facility for appropriate diagnosis and management. We commend the tremendous efforts by our public health physicians and all health workers who are braving the odds to help the nation combat the current outbreak,” GMA said in the statement.