The Government of Ghana on Saturday, September 4, received one of its largest shipment of Covid-19 vaccines yet - 1.2 doses of Moderna vaccines through the COVAX Facility.

A delegation led by the Deputy Minister of Health, Mr Mahama Asei Seini on behalf of government received the vaccines at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA).

Mr Mahama Asei Seini, during the presentation, reiterated the efforts put in place by the government to attain herd immunity in its fight against the pandemic.

The Deputy Minister was joined by US Ambassador to Ghana, Ms. Stephanie Sullivan, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Kwaku Ampretwum Sarpong and UNICEF Representative, Anne-Claire Dufay.

For the COVAX Facility, this significant donation of Moderna vaccines from the US Government will increase the range of Covd-19 vaccines available and further bolster efforts to protect more people from the virus.

UNICEF, which served as an implementing partner of COVAX (CEPI, GAVI, WHO) led the logistics and transport of the vaccines.

On September 2, the government received additional 244,800 doses of the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccines through the African Vaccine Acquisition Trust (AVAT).

This is after the Akufo-Addo-led government in August, procured 177,600 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine from the aforementioned body.

The Ghana Health Service (GHS) immediately began administering the Johnson & Johnson vaccines in places identified to be hotspots in all regions across the country.

Approximately, 155,000 vaccines were administered in the Greater Accra and Ashanti Regions.

Also, the Service started administering 1.5million doses of AstraZeneca vaccines received from Germany in all 16 regions to individuals who took their first shot between March 10 and March 29, this year. 

The vaccination exercise is expected to end today, September 4.

Meanwhile, the Ghana Health Service is expanding its capacity to improve its virus sequencing.

The Service took delivery of equipment that will aid the National Public Health & Reference Laboratory to join centres at the University of Ghana and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology to sequence Covid-19 samples for more effective management of cases.