The Upper Manya Krobo District Health Directorate has expressed concern about low vaccination coverage for Covid-19 in the district, citing widespread misunderstandings.
By the end of this year, the Health Directorate expects to have vaccinated roughly fifty thousand, one hundred and four (50,104) persons in the district, but just 282 have been fully immunized since the vaccine campaign began.
Approximately 820 people who received the first dose are hesitant to receive the second.
The fact that there is misinformation that the ruling New Patriotic Party government wants to use the vaccine to change the minds of electorates in the district to vote for the NPP in 2024 and subsequent elections, according to the District Health Director, Esther Dua Oyinka, is one of the reasons for the high level of hesitation in the district.
“Some rumors claim that if a man gets the vaccine, he would become impotent, which is untrue. Others claim that if you take it, you will stop menstruating and will no longer be able to give birth, while others claim that taking it would send you to your early grave since you will suffer strange indications and symptoms in your body. Some even claim that the government has put in some things to compensate for the vaccine that was given to them in order to persuade them not to vote for any other party than the ruling party,” she lamented.
The opposition National Democratic Congress has a stronghold in Upper Manya Krobo (NDC).
The district is made up of a number of farming communities, with the majority of the population being farmers with a high prevalence of illiteracy.
The District Health Director, on the other hand, adds that sensitization and awareness-raising efforts have been stepped up to debunk growing misconceptions about the vaccine and encourage citizens to get inoculated.
The Health Director stated that she intends to use the Farmers Day celebration to receive her second dosage of the vaccine in order to demonstrate that the vaccine is safe and has no side effects.
To ensure the implementation of an obligatory vaccination program from January next year, the Ministry of Health has designated December as Vaccination Month.
Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), who made the announcement on behalf of the sector Minister, Mr Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, named the targeted categories as all government employees and all commercial drivers.
Staff from the three branches of government, all healthcare professionals, all security employees, and all students and staff from secondary and higher institutions are among the other groups.
