The Director General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, has revealed that the service is slightly behind time in administering the second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccines.
Giving an update on the exercise, he indicated that although the exercise is ongoing,;only a number of the vaccinated persons have taken their second dose.
“We are slightly behind schedule in administering the second vaccines. Infact, some number[people] will be due for their second dose in July. Especially the last 350,000 who were given the vaccines in April. So, we still have some number of people who need to be given the dosage now.
“The second vaccination is just a subset of the first batch of nearly 900,000 which were given. Currently, there is a mop up and we have done about 376,00;there about of all people who have had the second dose. We are still compiling, so the number maybe slightly higher than what I am talking about.”
Dr. Kuma-Aboagye
Dr. Kuma-Aboagye also averred that;the service is working tirelessly to get extra AstraZeneca doses to vaccinate those who have not taken the second dose of the vaccine and also for people who are yet to be vaccinated.
“We are working extremely hard to get the additional vaccines especially the AstraZeneca vaccine to mop up that group. A lot of efforts are ongoing. Currently, COVAX will be giving allocation by middle of this month, that is somewhere around next week. And we are hoping nothing will happen so that they are able to supply as promised.”
Dr. Kuma-Aboagye
Cold chain capacity being worked on
The Director General indicated that the cold chain capacity of the country is currently being beefed up;to enable the nation have a larger array of vaccines. He noted that the incoming vaccines will be ultra negative so, his outfit is building the capacity to enable them store the vaccines.
“We will have a larger array of vaccines;so that he ultra negative group [ Pzifer, Moderna, Sputnik] can also be used so that whenever we get extra vaccines we can put. We cannot rely on just one source of vaccine. The ultra negative is an important group that we are currently expecting additional coaching on.”
Dr. Kuma-Aboagye
Touching on the delivery of the Sputnik V vaccine, Dr. Kuma-Aboagye disclosed that the delivery date unfortunately keeps changing. That not withstanding, he said the nation will take delivery of some consignment soon. He further revealed;that Sputnik light vaccines are also awaiting registration in order for it to be utilized in the country.
Despite the challenges especially with the AstraZeneca vaccine,;he disclosed that WHO is registering the chinese vaccine which may ease the pressure in the market because they have a higher production capacity. He said although it is yet to be registered in Ghana, he is anticipating that it will still free the pressure.
Dr. Kuma-Aboagye also said that he is hoping Ghana will be earmarked as one of the countries which will be supplied with the 8 million vaccines being given out by the USA.
