The Volta Regional Health Directorate has launched it’s National Immunization Days program in the Ketu South Municipality to project the commencement of the fourth vaccination exercise on Friday across the region.
This is a proactive measure taken by the authorities to sensitize and also solicit ideas from various stakeholders in the region ahead of the suspected fifth covid-19 wave hitting the country.
The Volta Region Deputy Director in charge of Public Health Dr. Senanu Kwesi Dzokoto in an address stated that Covid-19 has taken over the whole country and the only way out is to always apply the preventive measures.
He explained that Volta Region has had many covid-19 cases over the years past and the fifth wave is hitting the country thus the need to launch the National Immunization Days to roll out the fourth vaccination exercise in the region and country at large.
“Many countries are working tirelessly to combat this virus and Ghana should not be left out. We must stand our guard against this virus for the lives of people to be protected. The virus is real and the vaccines are not harmful at all. Everyone who took the jabs was still fit and there were no cases of death. The President has taken the jabs and is still active so let’s all encourage others to take part”. Dr. Dzokoto said.
Dr. Dzokoto also cautioned that all and sundry in the region should also be on high alert against the monkeypox disease which is getting into the country.
He said “Volta Region is the least performing region in the country in terms of covid-19 vaccination so as stakeholders, it should be our mandate to educate the people to get vaccinated. GHS has planned to get 60,000 people vaccinated in the region in this fourth immunization exercise”.
Narrating the Covid-19 activities in the Ketu South, the Municipal Health Director Dr. Joseph Degleh stated that the health workers are poised to launch an attack against the virus. He explained that the Ketu South has been one of the municipalities in the country that was highly affected by the covid-19.
He indicated that since the year 2020, most residents in the municipality were affected but some measures have been taken to avert the situation in the municipality. He however decried the vaccination hesitancy in the municipality which has made situations worse.
“So far, 419 cases have been recorded which have left 22 people dead in the municipality”.
Mr. Degleh, therefore, called on the stakeholders to support the fight against covid-19 and also initiate the necessary actions which will aid in stopping the bad impact of the virus.
He also lauded the efforts of all the health workers in the municipality for playing integral roles to avert the situation, adding that they are still ready to continue the fight against the virus so that the fifth wave will not have its way.
“There were many challenges such as high vaccination hesitancy, schools’ refusal to get students vaccinated, threats from the public, and delay in fund disbursement. But our workers were able to handle all these”. He explained.
Emmanuel Bonsu, REPI Coordinator for GHS said that they are always working to outwit the situation, adding that the Ho municipality is leading as the highest vaccinated district in the region with 21.5 percent. He also indicated that from March 2021 to June this year, only 530,888 people took the vaccine in the region and this needs to be increased.
Mr. Bonsu recalled that there is an upsurge of the virus in the country since active cases in this fifth wave are above 1000 and despite President Akuffo-Addo’s call to take off the nose masks, it is now prudent to apply those preventive measures again.
The Municipal Coordinating Director Alhaji Ussif Ibrahim who represented the Chief Executive, said Covid-19 is a devastating virus that has affected many countries, and Ghana is not left out, hence the need to improve measures to clamp down on the situation.
He said that “Ketu South is a border town and is highly prone to the disease but a larger number of people refused to get vaccinated. The Government has provided vaccination posts on our borders but so far, only five people got vaccinated and we can’t force them but we hope that soon, the people will get the jabs”.
Alhaji Ussif explained that, aside from the impact of the virus, the health workers were up to the task and worked assiduously to beat down the plight. He said much support was given to the Ghana Health Service by the Assembly to educate the public.
He thus called on the Assembly Members in the municipalities across the region to mobilize the residents so that they would be educated and given the jabs since only 23 percent of the population, especially in Ketu South took the jabs.
Torgbui Agbodo Pasaku IV recalled how they have mobilized themselves as traditional leaders and partook in the vaccination exercises. He said many people are afraid to take the jabs because of rumors that they may die or become impotent.
“These are all lies and as stakeholders, we should support the Ghana Health Service to play their roles to forestall the impact of the virus”. Torgbui specified.
The leaders of the Muslim community, the Christian Council, and the also pledged their commitment to intensify education against the virus in their various jurisdictions.
