The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Tuesday said the President of Ghana, Nana Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and his wife, Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo, have received the first shots of COVID-19 vaccine.
WHO Regional Office for Africa disclosed this in a statement issued from its headquarters in Brazzaville, Congo.
According to the UN health agency, Ghana has launched a vaccination campaign against the novel Coronavirus disease days after taking delivery of the historic first shipment of the COVAX vaccines.
“The President and his wife described the decision as an important example to make every Ghanaian see how safe the vaccines are and feel comfortable to take it.
“Nana Akufo-Addo cautioned that until his team was satisfied that the virus had been defeated, all currently public health protocols would still be in place even with the availability of vaccines.’’
Similarly, the Vice President Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia and his wife, Hajia Samira Bawumia, also took turns to undergo the COVID-19 vaccination procedures at the Police Hospital.
Bawumia affirmed the safety of the vaccine and urged all Ghanaians to accept it.
The global health agency stated that a vaccine roll-out plan had been put together to inoculate no fewer than 20 million of the population, noting that the phase being the first was targeting persons ‘most at risk and frontline State officials’.
“This group includes healthcare workers, frontline security personnel, persons with underlying medical conditions, persons 60 years and above, and frontline members of the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary.
“The second phase would target other essential service providers and the rest of the security agencies while the third phase targets the rest of the general public, that is all persons over 18 years, except for pregnant women.
“The final phase will include pregnant mothers and persons under the age of 18, and they will be vaccinated when an appropriate vaccine, hopefully, is found, or when enough safety data on the present vaccines are available.
“Special arrangements will be made for persons with disabilities who fall within these groups,’’ it added.
