COVID-19: North East Region tops nationwide vaccination exercise

Dr Abdulai Abukari, Regional Director of Health at the Ghana Health Service (GHS) in the North East Region says the GHS has successfully vaccinated 328,691 persons, representing 84.1 per cent, the highest percentage coverage in the country.

“It is a position we have held for several months now, and we hope to maintain with the support of all stakeholders in the Region,” the Director said.

Dr Abukari was speaking at a meeting with members of the Regional Public Health Emergency Management Committee (PHEMC) in Nalerigu after the Sixth National COVID-19 Vaccination Days Campaign (NaVCaDs) in the Region.

The campaign, launched on the theme: “Protect Yourself, Protect Your Family, Get Vaccinated Against COVID-19,” was intended to vaccinate all eligible members of the public who were 15 years and above with potent COVID-19 vaccines.

Dr Abukari acknowledged the support of the PHEMC and staff of the Service, saying, “North East Region, through your support and our able staff, emerged the best performing Region in the just ended NaVCaDs round five campaign.”

He indicated that in spite of its challenges as new Region, the Health Directorate would not relent on its efforts at ensuring that all residents within the Region were fully vaccinated to check any possible spread of the virus.

“The main objective is to improve COVID-19 vaccine uptake across the country for all partially vaccinated or unvaccinated persons aged 15 years and above against the infection spread during the festive season,” the Director said.

He said the GHS in the Region targeted to vaccinate 30,660 residents in the sixth round of the five-day vaccination exercise started on January 20 and would end on January 24, 2023.

Dr Abukari noted that apart from the fully vaccinated population as at January 20, 2023, a total of 327,235 people took at least one dose, representing 83.9 per cent while 101,405 people took first booster doses.

Giving state of the Municipal and District coverages, the Director said the Bunkpurugu-Nakpanduri District recorded 79.1 percent coverage, Chereponi 60.2 percent, Mamprugu-Moagduri District 67.6 percent, Yunyoo-Nasuan 102.2 percent, while the East and West Mamprusi Municipalities recorded 71.0 and 99.5 percent respectively.

Dr Abukari said 90 teams of vaccinators and volunteers, and 64 supervisors at different levels mounted static sessions at various locations, while others moved from house-to-house to vaccinate eligible members of the public after they were recruited and trained for the five-day exercise.

Mr Chimsi Musah, Chief Director at the Regional Coordinating Council, who Chaired the meeting, admonished residents who had vaccinated, to ensure they got vaccinated for the full immunity against the virus.

He called on the media to continue to educate members of the public about the virus and the need for residents to protect themselves, even though the Region had no active case.