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International vaccine politics affecting Ghana’s vaccination – Akufo-Addo laments

By George Nyavor
Nana Akufo-Addo
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President Nana Akufo-Addo is worried about external challenges that are currently working against Ghana’s vaccination, although he remains hopeful of meeting a nationwide vaccination target.

Addressing the country in a pre-recorded update on the measures his government is taking to against the spread of the coronavirus pandemic on Sunday, May 16, 2021, the President also announced that at least 20 million Ghanaian adults would be vaccinated by the end of the year.

“International vaccine politics and the unpredictability of the supply chain as well as the third wave of infections in some countries in Europe and Asia have meant that we have not been able to secure many vaccines and vaccinated as many Ghanaians as we would have wanted to at this stage," he disclosed.

A feature of the international vaccine politics that the President refers to is the deep inequality that has characterised global vaccine rollout.

Health analysts say nine countries are responsible for three-quarters of all doses administered worldwide, whereas 36 nations have yet to administer a single shot.

“In spite of these obstacles the target is to vaccinate some 20 million Ghanaians, that is the entire adult population of Ghana by the end of the year,” Nana Akufo-Addo assured during the update that was aired on Sunday, May 16, 2021.

In late February, Ghana became the first African country to receive COVID-19 vaccine doses under the COVAX Facility.

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COVAX shipped 600 000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine that was used for the first phase of the nationwide vaccination in March this year.

Giving further updates on the vaccine situation during his address on Sunday, the President also announced that in the past few days Ghana has through COVAX received an additional 350,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccines.

“These would be added to existing stock to provide the second jab of 360,000 persons in Greater Accra, Ashanti and Central regions who received the first jab,” he said.

He also disclosed that some 300,000 Sputnik vaccines have been procured and approved by Ghana’s Food and Drugs Authority to augment the AstraZeneca vaccines for the vaccination process.

“I am happy to announce that beginning Wednesday the 19th of May to 26th May the deployment of the second dose of vaccines across the designated vaccination centres in the 43 districts, approximately 12 weeks after the first jab as the science prescribes,” he said.

Ghana's active coronavirus cases currently stand at 1,314 with 783 deaths. Cumulative confirmed cases currently stand at 93,243 with 91,146 recoveries/discharges.

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