By Evans Worlanyo Evans
Aflao (VR) Dec. 21, GNA – The International Day to mark Migration was held in Aflao in the Ketu South Municipality of the Volta Region to enhance border management capacity as well as respond to public health crisis, including covid-19.
The event on the theme: “Engaging the Community to Make Migration Work for All,” was aimed at getting closer to communities with the aid for rural development.
Mr Charles Amanyoh, the Ketu South Municipal Health Promotion Officer, disclosed that as of December 4, 26,843 residents, representing 17.94 per cent were fully vaccinated within the Municipality.
He said total doses administered was 59,808 (39.9%) whilst 37,853 (25.3%) residents had their first dose and 3,426, representing 2.3 per cent to have received the booster.
He said the targeted number to be vaccinated was 149,617, representing 72 per cent with the drugs such as Astrazeneca, Moderna, Pfizer, Johnson and Johnson among others.
A total of 4,000 covid tests were conducted within the Municipality with 587 positive cases, 22 deaths, and zero active cases currently.
The border communities were challenged to endorse the exercise and do away with victimisation, myths and all forms of stigmatisation toward the vaccines.
Port Health, Immigration officers were also asked to be more vigilant on their checks on migrants about the vaccination.
Mr Kojo Wilmot, the programme officer for International Organization for Migration, said that the level of migrants trooping into the country was increasing daily, which called for alertness from duty-bearers at the borders to help prevent transporting any illness into the country.
He said, “it is important we educate our people to be aware of migration and the effect it has on our societies.”
He urged Immigration and Custom officers to be more vigilant to make sure all immigrants get vaccinated before entering the country.
Mr Wilmot said the Immigration and Border Management (IBM) project was implemented by International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and financed by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
He said Aflao’s version of the international Migrants Day was marked on Tuesday due to the finals of the World Cup on Sunday.
Mr Al-Hassan Hudi, representative of Community Aid for Rural Development (CARD-Ghana), stated that the hesitancy level of the Covid vaccine was getting high and called for public education, especially among the youth.
He said that individuals and groups such as Christians, Muslims and others must preach about the vaccination to help curb the spread.
“Let us not forget about other sicknesses such us malaria, yellow fever, diarrhoea, among others and get vaccinated against them as well.”
He added that, “vaccines are very important and that is why you do not see a lot of disabled children in our communities since mothers and children have been vaccinated against it so often.”
Togbui Lakpo Agblevor ll, chief of Aflao-Aveyiborme, also challenged the public to be vaccinated.
Togbui Agblevor also called on customs, Immigration and other security operatives along the borders to be vigilante to ensure migrants gets vaccinated against the virus before entering.
GNA