Aflao (VR), Feb 15, GNA – Mr Joseph Kwami Degley, Ketu South Municipal Director of Health Services, has bemoaned COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among residents in the district.
He said the vaccines were only meant to protect people against COVID-19 and its severe implications, including death and appealed to residents not to harbour any fears for the vaccines.
The Municipal Director made this known during the Directorate’s 2021 programme of work review on the theme: “Achieving Universal Health Coverage in the Midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Effective and Innovative Leadership.”
Mr Degley said though there were currently no active cases, people ought to observe the preventive protocols and take the vaccines because the pandemic, which led to some deaths in the border Municipality was not over.
“It’s sad to note that vaccine hesitancy is still very high in our Municipality. This is a clear indication that we’re not yet out of the woods. I want to reiterate here that COVID-19 is real and will be with us for a very long time.”
Cumulatively, Ketu South has recorded 493 cases, 20 deaths and 473 recoveries and 0 active case. Along the line, we lost some staff to COVID-19 and other conditions (anaesthestic).”
Mr Ernest Alignoi, Ketu South Municipal Disease Control Officer, in his presentation, disclosed that the Directorate received a total of 73,299 Astrazeneca, Pfizer-BioNtech and Moderna vaccines for the mass vaccination activities to contain the COVID-19 outbreak.
He said out of the 207,802 population of Ketu South and a target COVID-19 vaccination population of 130,915 (63%), 32,854 doses were administered with 24,078 people (representing 20.8%) receiving at least one dose with 8,683 people (representing 6.6%) being fully vaccinated.
“Vaccine hesitancy, late supply and misconceptions attributed to the COVID-19 vaccines are among reasons for the low coverage,” Mr Alignoi identified.
The Directorate noted that the year under review was more challenging than the previous years and expected 2022 to be similar as a result of the spillover of devastated effects of the pandemic and its attendant economic breakdown.
Meanwhile, it acknowledged collaborators and benefactors including Mr Futukpor Dzisah, a philanthropist, Mr Felix Akonta, a philanthropist, Prof Atsu of Agbevekope, Health Keepers Network and Marie-Stopes and, On The Move eV, a German NGO for their contributions to healthcare delivery in the Municipality.
GNA