Ghana on Wednesday became the first country to receive vaccines from the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX).
COVAX is a global initiative aimed at equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines. It plans to deliver at least 2 billion vaccine doses by the end of 2021 to cover 20% of the most vulnerable people in poor and middle-income countries.
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COVAX is co-led by the World Health Organization (WHO), Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI), the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and others.
A Government delegation led by the Minister for Health Designate, Kwaku Agyeman Manu received the vaccines which were delivered by UNICEF at Accra’s international airport early Wednesday.
“The next phase in the fight against this disease can begin -– the ramping up of the largest immunisation campaign in history,” UNICEF Executive Director, Henrietta Fore said in a statement.
“At last!” the WHO’s Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said in a tweet, adding that it is “a day to celebrate, but it’s just the first step.”
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The 600,000 doses delivered to Ghana are the Oxford/AstraZeneca formula, made by the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer, the Serum Institute of India.
They are part of an initial tranche of deliveries headed to several low and middle-income countries.
Vaccinations are scheduled to start on Tuesday, 2nd March 2021 in Accra, Kumasi and Obuasi.
Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah said the vaccination will begin with health workers and other frontline staff, adults over 60 and people with underlying health conditions.
Others include “frontline executive, legislature, judiciary and their related staff, frontline security personnel, some religious leaders, essential workers, teachers and other personalities,” he said.
The West African country has so far recorded 80,759 COVID-19 cases; 73,365 recoveries and 582 fatalities.
© ControlTV 2021.
