The Catholic Relief Services (CRS), is calling on the government to intensify public education on COVID-19 vaccine acceptance by Ghanaians.
The Central Gonja District Project Coordinator of CRS, Gifty Akapule, made the call in a Citi News interview at a risk communication and community engagement campaign for COVID-19 vaccine acceptance in the Central Gonja District of the Savannah Region.
On February 24, 2021, Ghana took delivery of the first consignment of 600,00 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
To date, available records from the Ghana Health Service indicate that out of the total number received, 440,00 has been used.
Whiles the proportion of uptake is very encouraging, the beneficiaries of that consignment were frontline health staff, high-level government officials, members of the diplomatic corps among others.
A rapid survey conducted by UNICEF across the country revealed key issues around the deployment of the vaccine which need to be urgently addressed.
The issues include negative perceptions on vaccine safety, efficacy, rumour-mongering and concerns related to side effects.
To dispel these rumours and concerns by Ghanaians, the Catholic Relief Services is carrying out community engagement campaigns on vaccine safety and efficacy to increase acceptance among community members in the Savannah, Oti, North East, Northern, and Upper East Regions.
The COVID-19 vaccine promotion project is being implemented in partnership with the Ghana Health Service and local communities with funding from the CRS West Africa office.
Gifty Akapule said there is a high level of vaccine hesitancy among Ghanaians.
“There are a lot of conspiracy theories and a lot of vaccine hesitancy; some people are saying when you take the vaccine, and you’re a man, you will turn into a woman, others say it affects potency, so we want to clear these myths and misinformation about the vaccine.”
She said the first COVID-19 vaccines deployed were administered to health workers and other enlightened Ghanaians, hence the high acceptance rate.
“The first deployment of the vaccine was given to health professionals, Members of Parliament and other key stakeholders who are educated, who know the importance of the vaccine; but when you come to the grassroots level there is that wide a gap that needs to be filled, so I urge the government to carry out intensive public education to improve the hesitancy among Ghanaians.”
The Central Gonja District Disease Control Officer, Christopher Anane Justice, enumerated some benefits of taking the COVID-19 vaccine.
“The vaccine will boost our immune system, if we are vaccinated it will prevent our communities from being infected, we will not infect our friends, family, and loved ones, so it is important for us to take the vaccine to protect ourselves and loved ones.”
