The Volta Regional Co-ordinating Council has announced that a mass COVID-19 vaccination exercise has begun in all 18 districts and municipalities of the region.

A press release signed by the Volta Regional Minister, Dr. Archibad Letsa, urged all citizens in his jurisdiction to get vaccinated to shield themselves against the virus, which has taken over 5 million lives globally. 

He indicated that only 119,088 residents received the first dose and 19,108 received the first and second doses of the vaccines out of the 1,055,990 persons residing in the region.

He disclosed that about 400,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses have so far been allocated to the region since the start of the vaccination. 

Dr. Letsa indicated that due to previous experience, in which instance the spread of the virus peaked during the yuletide, “it is important that the mobile population, who are mostly youth, avail themselves to be vaccinated” to avoid spreading the virus to the vulnerable population.

He added that the approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine by the Foods and Drugs Authority to be administered to persons 15 years and above, serves as another milestone in protecting the citizenry against the virus. 

“This will provide another important layer of the protection for our children who are 15 years and above in the Junior and Senior High Schools”, he stated. 

He emphasized that the Ghana Health Service would collaborate with the Ghana Education Service, District and Municipal Assemblies, and stakeholders to ensure a smooth implementation of the vaccination exercise in the region.

“I commend all our stakeholders, particularly our chiefs who have been very strong advocates for the health and wellbeing of the people of the Volta Region. I wish, therefore, to request that they lend their support to this phase of the vaccination as they did in the past”, Dr. Letsa said.