The Ghana Health Service (GHS) is seeking media and community support to champion COVID-19 vaccination as some communities in the region are refusing vaccination.

Deputy Director of Health Services in Charge of Public Health in the Central Region, Dr. Kwabena Sarpong, indicates while some attribute their refusal on biblical grounds, others will simply decline on personal grounds.

At a media briefing in Cape Coast, Dr. Sarpong appealed to the media, opinion leaders, and the clergy to support the Ghana Health Service to achieve Covid-19 vaccination target of vaccinating twenty million Ghanaian citizens by the end of December 2021.

The Central Region recorded its first case of COVID-19 on April 8, 2020. As of December 7, 4,907 cases have cumulatively been recorded since the pandemic broke. 98% of the cases recorded, the GHS says have recovered completely from COVID-19. At the last count, the total number of deaths stood at 31.

According to the Ghana Health Service, the region does not have any active cases in any of the region’s districts.

Dr. Sarpong says the vaccination exercise is ongoing but some communities in the region do not want to be vaccinated.

“We’ve noted a few communities that are hesitating to take the vaccines. What we have done is that we have stepped up education and sensitization in such communities and we’re sure, they would take the vaccines,” he said.

He indicated, the service was still embarking on education and sensitization to help them through and want opinion leaders, the media and other well-meaning members of such communities to support them.

“We need the support of the media, opinion leaders, the religious and all those who matter to join our drive to reach the vaccination target. Getting vaccinated is one of the surest ways of keeping the virus in check.” He pleaded

Central Regional Health Director, Dr. Akosua Owusu-Sarpong indicated even though the region has so far vaccinated over four hundred thousand people, it’s shy of the estimated target of one million, seven hundred thousand.

The Health directorate explains that there are several outreach programs such as visits to market centers, lorry stations, churches, mosques and house-to-house to scale up the vaccination.

Dr. Akosua Sarpong assures, there are enough vaccines in the various health facilities and urged the media to educate and encourage the public to go for the vaccine.