COVID-19 vaccination coverage in V/R lowest

The Volta Region has the lowest number of people fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in Ghana.

As of June 6 this year, only 402,163 people out of the 1,387,537 targeted population were fully jabbed against the virus.

The fully vaccinated people constitute only 40.6 per cent of the targeted population.

The acting Volta Regional Director of Health Services, Dr Senanu Kwesi Djokoto, disclosed this at the media launch of the seventh National COVID-19 vaccination programme in the region.

He attributed the vaccine hesitancy among the people to myths, misconceptions, misinformation and disinformation about the vaccines.

Dr Djokoto said those myths and misconceptions were false, stressing that the vaccines were safe, effective and a reliable means of preventing infectious diseases.

He described as unfortunate the low vaccination coverage in the region in spite of the numerous campaigns, and observed that it would have been far lower but for the support received from many stakeholders.

Meanwhile, some regions had vaccinated more than 90 per cent of the targeted population, said the acting Regional Director of Health Service.

Vaccination exercise

The just ended vaccination exercise which was from July 19 to July 23 targeted 53,134 adults to take the COVID-19 jab for the first time.

Meanwhile, Dr Djokoto made it clear that the recent announcement by the World Health Organisation (WHO) that COVID-19 was no longer a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), did not signify an end to the battle against the virus.

“This is because COVID-19 remains a substantial health threat,” he explained.

The Regional Coordinator of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI), Emmanuel Bonsu, said low-risk perception of COVID-19 among the people also contributed largely to the low vaccination coverage in the region.

He said the way forward required intensive risk communication and social mobilisation to reduce vaccine hesitancy.

The Paramount Chief of Ziavi, Togbe Kwaku Ayim IV, urged the people of the region to renew their sense of patriotism and support the vaccination exercise with enthusiasm, in the broader national interest.