Ghana is also launching its vaccination drive this week.
Ghana's President Nana Akufo-Addo on Monday became the first to receive a coronavirus vaccine through the scheme.Mr. Akufo-Addo urged people to get inoculated and not to believe conspiracy theories casting doubt on the programme, which will see some 600,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine rolled out nationwide on Tuesday.
"It's important that I set the example that this vaccine is safe by being the first to have it, so that everybody in Ghana can feel comfortable about taking this vaccine," he said.
# Africa's vaccine rollout gathers pace.
#The scheme to share doses with others.
The roll out will initially focus on the most vulnerable - those aged over 60 or with serious underlying health issues - and essential workers, such as medical professionals, teachers, police and even some journalists.
But pregnant women and those under the age of 18 are not part of the vaccination campaign. Authorities have said they do not have enough data on the possible side effects of the vaccines on such groups.
The leadership traits of Prez Nana Addo
Nana Akufo Addo and his wife were vaccinated in a ceremony broadcast live on television to encourage other Ghanaians to get their jabs.Some Ghanaians have expressed misgivings about the safety of the vaccines. While some believe it is a ploy by the government to reduce the country's population by making them infertile, others think the vaccines might be fake.
In a televised address to the nation on Sunday, the president stressed that the vaccines had been declared safe by the country's Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), and there was no reason to doubt their safety. "Taking the vaccines will not alter your DNA, it will not embed a tracking device in your body, neither will it cause infertility in women or men," he assured.
The country is also exploring the possibility of getting some local manufacturers the needed licence to produce some of the existing vaccines, while Ghanaian scientists are working with their counterparts on the continent to develop a vaccine.
No comments:
Post a Comment