Ghana Health Service Laments low Turnout for Vaccinations Despite Excess Vaccines

• GHS has lamented the low turnout of people for the vaccination exercise
• According to the health service, the country has various COVID-19 vaccines
• The GHS has stated that officials sit in their facilities all day with as little as two people turning up to be vaccinated

The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has lamented the low turnout of people for the vaccination exercise in the country despite the availability of the COVID-19 vaccines.

Dr. Kwame Amponsah Achiano, the Programmes Manager of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation at the GHS revealed that the country has a lot of vaccines in store but the people are not turning out to be inoculated.

According to a 3news report, Dr Achiano said the officials sit in their facilities all day with as little as two people turning up to be vaccinated.

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“Sometimes our health workers can sit in the health facilities for quite some number of hours and get just one or two people coming," he said.

He further revealed that as of October 3, Ghana had received 8million doses of the vaccines in total.

Dr. Achiano said so far, only 3million doses have so far been administered, which covers 4.3 percent of the GHS' initial target.

He explained that initially, the problem was that people were asking where the vaccines were, but now, they (GHS) are rather enquiring about the whereabouts of the people.

More sensitisation is needed about getting vaccinated

A public health nurse at the Nglesshie Amanfrom Municipal hospital, Ruby Ansah said, initially when the vaccines were limited to a particular group of people, individuals visited the centre to enquire about the vaccines.

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According to her, her team has personally visited some churches around the hospital to talk to them about the need to get vaccinated.

Ruby revealed that just two days after their visit to the churches, the turnout was encouraging but unfortunately, the buzz died down a few days later.

Ruby claims the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE) needs to visit communities to carry out sensitisation programmes.

Sheikh Ahmed Al Makhtoum, refunds $2.4million Sputnik money to the government

Still, on COVID-19 vaccines, Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Makhtoum, the Dubai-based businessman at the centre of the botched Sputnik V procurement saga has refunded $2.4million to the government.

In a letter sighted by YEN.com.gh, dated August 11, 2021, Kwabena Boadu Oku-Afari, the acting chief director of the Ministry of Health, indicated that once the money was confirmed as received, a receipt should be sent.

“The SWIFT and the payment advice for the refund is hereby attached for your reference and record…Kindly issue us a payment receipt once the funds have been credited into the Government bank account,” the letter noted.

Source: YEN.com.gh