As the festive season begins, many hospitals and health facilities in the Central Region have stepped up effort to vaccinate and sensitize people on the need to minimize the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

The Central Region, for instance, is seeking to meet a vaccination target of one million seven hundred thousand and health officials have intensified effort to ensure the target is met.

Acting Medical Superintendent of the Agona Swedru Government Hospital, Dr. Julius Agbeeku says in the time where many seems to have forgotten the existence of the COVID-19 virus, there was a greater need to step up education and shore up vaccination.

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.

Speaking at a ceremony to receive GH36,000 worth of PPEs and other medical supplies from Big Cap Micro Credit, Dr. Agbeeku called on residents to protected themselves in this yuletide.

He says: “Because, we have been seeing waves upon waves, the efforts towards the pandemic seems to have dwindled a bit. So, for them to have remembered that we still need to fight this pandemic, and help with this donation, we are eternally gratefully.

The acting Medical Superintendent of the Agona Swedru Government Hospital also debunked the notion of some people against the vaccination. He explained that the issues some people have with the vaccination were unfounded and there was the need for such thoughts to be discarded.

“We are making effort to educate and sensitize the people to make them see reason with us in order to be vaccinated. Some of the things they say, you don’t get the basis for it.

There’s so much vaccine available that we can vaccinated a large number of people,” he stated.

He thanked BIG CAP Micro Credit for such a donation that would help in the fight against the virus.  The directorate, he indicates, will increase their risk communication since the waves of the pandemic keeps rising.

CEO of Big Cap Micro Credit, Firdaus Mubarak Yusif, explained the donation worth 36,000 forms part of their corporate social responsibility in supporting the public in the fight against the virus.

The items, he indicates, were strategic items that are going to eradicate a lot of the problems that are in the area. He believes that if the items are put to good use, a lot of the challenges would be dealt with.

“I protect myself; you don’t protect yourself; you get the virus.  You protect yourself; I don’t protect myself; I get the virus. As an organization, we would contribute significantly, not only to support the fight against the COVID-19 virus, but also on dealing with challenges in our rural health sector.

MP for Agona West, Cynthia Mamle Morrison, expressed appreciation for the gesture   and called on the general public and corporate bodies to support the health facilities in these trying times.

She added that as the yuletide begins, many people would be left out the celebration of they are not supported.

“During this yuletide, we pray for the corporate bodies to reach out not only to the hospitals but to the needy, the aged, the sick and other vulnerable groups in our society. I tell you that without a gift, some people are not going to celebrate Christmas,” she stated.