The Presidential Advisor on Health, Dr. Nsiah Asare, has stated that government still stands by its target of vaccinating 20 million persons by the end of the year. He averred that he is confident the target will be achieved as earlier announced.
Dr. Nsiah Asare said the efforts by President Akufo-Addo is evident of the progress being made with regards to the vaccine acquisition for the nation. He then iterated that the nation will also ensure the full vaccination of citizens in due time.
“Yes! I am very confident and I believe we’ve all heard what the President is saying around the globe and its opening ways for us to receive more vaccines. We still stand by the target and also the vision of vaccinating every Ghanaian especially when we start our local production.”
Dr. Nsiah Asare
Ghana to take vaccine delivery on Sunday
Speaking on the expected vaccines, he disclosed that the country will take delivery of the first promised batch of vaccines this Sunday, September 26, 2021 from the German government. This, he said, resulted from the President’s visit to Germany recently.
“I can say that in confidence that early morning on Sunday, that is the 26th of September we are going to get 1.5 million doses of AstraZeneca courtesy of the German government. When His Excellency was in Berlin, he met Chancellor Merkel and they promised that one. God being so good, it is coming and it will arrive at the Kotoka International Airport in the early hours of Sunday. Yesterday, you also heard the President with the Vice President of the United States of America. After the 1.2 million doses of Moderna, we are going to get 1.3 million doses of Pfizer.”
Dr. Nsiah Asare
Dr. Nsiah-Asare then expressed satisfaction with the fact that, all the five vaccines government registered for are being worked on. He added that government is also making sure that Ghana will have at least 7 million doses from each vaccine producer. Additionally, Dr. Nsiah Asare posited that earlier next year, the country would start its local production of vaccines to ensure full vaccination of its citizens.
Vaccination will aid in Delta variant decline
Also speaking during the discussion, an Immunologist at WACCIB, Dr. Yaw Bediako, speaking on the vaccination exercise indicated that if the country is able to get the targeted population vaccinated, the Delta variant could decline. He said all countries that have “got on top of” COVID-19 have done so, solely through vaccination.
“The Delta variant even in India appears to be declining. So, our outbreak may follow a similar suit. India has vaccinated a lot more people than we have done so far,;so it is hard to tell how long this current wave will last. Vaccinating as much people as we can,;if we do manage to hit the 20 million target, that will be a significant milestone.”
Dr. Yaw Bediako
Giving an update on the delta variant,;he intimated that it is still a dominant variant with the current cases recorded and the sequencing being carried out.
“As it has happened in other parts of the world,;once delta has settled in it becomes difficult for it to make its way out of the country. So, we are still dealing with Delta although it has now passed its peak and appears to be declining.”
Dr. Yaw Bediako
