[ 2021-01-31 ]

COVID-19: 17.6 million vaccine doses to be ready in Ghana by June
By Linda Naa Deide Aryeetey

Accra, Jan. 31, GNA-By the end of June 2021, a
total of 17.6 million COVID-19 vaccine doses would
be procured for Ghanaians through bilateral and
multilateral means, President Nana Addo Dankwa
Akuffo Addo has said.

In a televised national address on Sunday, Update
no 23 on measures taken against the spread of the
Coronavirus in Ghana, the President said the
earliest vaccine procured will be in the country
by March as the government aimed to vaccinate the
entire population with an initial target of twenty
million people.

He said the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) would
use its established processes for granting
emergency-use-authorization for each vaccine in
Ghana.

“As President of the Republic, I assure you that
only vaccines that have been evaluated and
declared as safe-for-use in Ghana will be
administered," he said.

President Nana Addo said the Government would
continue to monitor the national COVID-19
situation, and remained resolute in ensuring that
people were able to return to their normal daily
routines, adding that;
“I remain hopeful that if each one of us
embraces fully the safety protocols, and we
continue to put our faith in the Almighty, we will
emerge strongly from this pandemic.”

He said at the 58th Summit of the Authority of
ECOWAS Heads of State and Government, held
virtually, the heads of state agreed that the cost
of the COVID test for in-bound ECOWAS nationals be
pegged at USD 50 at the Kotoka International
Airport.

The cost of the test for non-ECOWAS nationals
still remains USD 150, ECOWAS nationals and
travelers, who test positive, will bear the cost
of the mandatory isolation and treatment.

The President noted that Ghanaian nationals, who
tested positive, upon their arrival into the
country, would have their isolation and treatment
costs borne by the State.

He reiterated that the regulatory agencies would
undertake random checks to ensure conformity with
the coronavirus protocols and the security
services would be tasked to enforce them, as the
government stepped up public education and
enforcement of the protocols on public
gatherings.

"You do not have to be arrested by the Police
before you wear your mask, your workplace should
not be closed for non-conformity with the
protocols, if there is no urgent reason for you to
be outside, please stay at home, 'he stressed.

He said every individual can help to contain the
spread if they continue to practice the measures
of social distancing, washing hands with soap
under running water, refraining from shaking
hands, and, wear masks whenever they leave our
homes.

President Akuffo Addo urged Ghanaians to continue
paying attention to their health, improve their
fitness levels, and eat local foods that boost
immunity.

Should you at any point feel unwell or exhibit the
most common symptoms of COVID-19, such as fever,
dry cough, tiredness, please report to the nearest
health facility and get tested, he emphasised.

The President said COVID-19 tests were free for
all Ghanaians at public health institutions, and
if a Ghanaian citizen returned a positive result,
the cost of care at isolation and treatment
centres would be borne by Government.

Source -

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