The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has begun a 7-day free yellow fever vaccination exercise for persons in the North East Region.

Speaking at the launch of the yellow fever vaccination exercise, North East Regional Health Directorate, Dr. Abdulai Abukari said persons aged 10 to 60 years are qualified to partake except for pregnant women.

Dr Abdulai Abukari stressed on the importance of the medical exercise and asked stakeholders to increase support for the campaign against the deadly yellow fever disease.

"This will protect the older aged groups in selected high-risk areas."

He stated that the North East Region forms part of 15 regions who are undertaking the vaccination exercise.

About 5.8 million Ghanaians will be covered in the national exercise.

According to him, the vaccination exercise which was slated for April 15 had to be rescheduled because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The West Mamprusi Municipality and Mamprugu Moaduri District will be engaged in the vaccination exercise. About 146,605 people have been targeted in the two areas, he added.

Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of West Mamprusi Municipal, Aremeyaw Somo Lucky, who was also at the launch said the government will continue to commit enough resource towards the improvement of health service delivery in the region.

"I urge all to adhere to the protocols of Covid-19 as His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has been saying," he added.

The vaccination exercise commenced on November 12 and is expected to end on November 18, 2020.