The Presidential Advisor on Health, Dr. Anthony Nsiah Asare, has disclosed that government is expected to take delivery of about nine million more of COVID-19 vaccines by the end of December 2021.
Speaking on the vaccination exercise in the country, Dr Nsiah Asare stated that the country is taking delivery of more vaccines in order to get more of the citizens vaccinated against the COVID-19 pandemic.
“As we speak, from 24th February up till now, we have brought in about 15 million doses of vaccine into the country. We are expecting extra eight to nine million doses of vaccines in the country before the end of the year”.
Dr. Anthony Nsiah Asare
Touching on the people’s response to the vaccination exercise, he averred that taking the vaccine should be made mandatory for persons living in the country. He indicated that the vaccine is expected to boost government’s mass vaccination drive which is currently targeting specialized groups across the country to ensure the safety of the people.
“As Ghana Health Service (GHS) has now moved into the campaign mood, we are taking the vaccines to every corner of the country; to the church, Mosque, workplaces and all health facilities. So, there is no reason why anybody will say that, I don’t want to be vaccinated”.
Dr. Anthony Nsiah Asare
Patronize ongoing vaccination exercise
Dr. Anthony Nsiah Asare called on the public to patronize the ongoing mass vaccination drive to help achieve the herd immunity goal set by the government and also help prevent the occurrence of a fourth wave.
Dr. Nsiah Asare iterated the fact that the nation cannot afford to have a fourth wave. He indicated that both leaders and health professionals are tired and appealed with citizens to vaccinate to make their work easier.
“Our facilities need to be used but not only for COVID [cases]. Because if you have four small beds for intensive care for example in Korle Bu, and instead of a normal patient, we put just one COVID patient there, the other three beds cannot be used. Someone may have a cardiac arrest and we will need that same space but we cannot allow them there because of one person who refused to follow the rules and regulations; who refused to take the vaccination. I don’t think it is fair to the rest of the patients”.
Dr. Anthony Nsiah Asare
He also called on the President to invoke parts of the Public Health Act to back the latest measures on the mandatory vaccination instituted by the Ghana Health Service. Dr. Nsiah Asare noted that everyone must get vaccinated in December because after sometime there will be some measures put in place that if “you are not vaccinated you cannot get access to some places”.
“We are giving everybody the chance to vaccinate. That is the reason why we have declared December as a vaccination month”.
Dr. Anthony Nsiah Asare
Ghana last took delivery of one million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccines from the US government under the COVAX facility. This donation was presented to the country by the government of Denmark and United States on Thursday, December, 9, 2021.
