The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has begun the administration of the second dose of AstraZeneca vaccines to eligible persons in all 16 regions.
The exercise, which will end on September 4, is for persons 18 years and above who took their first AstraZeneca shot between March 10th to 29th 2021.
Head of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation Dr. Kwame Amponsa-Achiano, in an interview with the media said priority would be given to health workers outside the Greater Accra and Ashanti Regions.
“We have about 400,000 people awaiting their second dose and because we received 249,000 we are doing equitable distribution across the regions and reserving some specifically for health workers who are at most risk,” he explained.
Dr Amponsa-Achiano said the rest of the eligible population to receive their second jabs would have them by mid-September.
The country started the administration of AstraZeneca vaccine in March, with approximately 850,000 people taking their first dose of the vaccine, with a little over 500,000 receiving the second dose.
Meanwhile, the GHS, in a press statement, asked all eligible persons to go to the vaccination centres with their valid National ID cards, preferably the one presented for the first dose, and Covid-19 vaccination cards for the second dose.
The statement, signed by Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, entreated the public to continue adhering to all Covid-19 protocols, such as the appropriate wearing of face masks and maintaining physical distancing at the vaccination centres.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri