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| Image Credit: graphic.com.gh |
The Ministry of Health has taken delivery of additional
3,086,280 doses of COVID-19 vaccines since Monday, November 22 this year 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.
The national target is to reach at least a 60 per cent herd
immunity by vaccinating at least 20 million people by the close of the year.
USA
Presenting the vaccines from the US through the COVAX
facility, the US Ambassador to Ghana, Ms Stephanie S. Sullivan, said the
support was to save Ghanaian lives as America worked together with other
countries to defeat the virus.
“These doses are the same safe and effective vaccines used in
the United States.
There is no better time for Ghanaians to protect their
families and communities by getting the jab,” she said.
“In September, President (Joe) Biden committed to donating 1.1
billion doses of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine worldwide.
The United States Government has already delivered 252 million
doses to over 100 countries, including 71 million doses in sub-Saharan Africa
alone,” Ms Sullivan said.
Ms Sullivan added that the US had strongly supported Ghana’s
COVID-19 response efforts, providing more than $30 million for personal
protective equipment (PPE) and training for medical professionals, medical
equipment and testing supplies, vaccine distribution planning and support,
economic assistance for impacted communities, three new regional Public Health
Emergency Operations Centres in Ghana, as well as educational support for
Ghanaian students during the pandemic.
Greece
The Greek Foreign Minister, Mr Nikos Dendias, said Greece was
committed to supporting Ghana to beat the global pandemic not because his
country was out of the woods but because of Greece’s commitment to the strong
relations between the two countries.
“This is an expression of solidarity of Greece to Ghana and
its people. Greece actively supports Ghana in fighting the pandemic.
It is important for countries to share their resources so that
together we can win the fight against the pandemic globally,” he added.
“The purpose of my visit is really to pave the way for the
businessmen to invest more and do more,” Mr Dendias underlined, adding that the
two countries could also focus on collaborations in maritime security, energy
and tourism.
The Chief Director of the Ministry of Health, Mr Kwabena Boadu
Oku Afari, expressed gratitude to the governments and people of America and
Greece for the gesture.
He said the national effort to reach herd immunity was very
alive and progressing steadily, and reiterated the government’s appeal to the
public to take advantage of the vaccination exercise.
Source:
graphic.com.gh
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