President Akufo-Addo has stated that the committee he set up to recommend an appropriate COVID-19 vaccine to the government has duly completed its work given a green light for procurement to begin.
This he said will ensure that Ghana secures a suitable vaccine for injection of its citizens against the new variant of the disease in the deadlier second wave being experienced.
A total of 36 Covid-19 patients are in critical conditions battling for their lives at various treatment centers in the country while 98 are severely ill.
Meanwhile, seven additional deaths have been recorded increasing the country’s death toll to 358 as of January 16, 2020.
The Ghana Health Service’s latest update on Tuesday night of January 19, 2020, also indicated that 366 new cases have been recorded pushing the active cases to 2,174
In all, Ghana’s total confirmed cases are 58,431 out of which 55,899 have recovered or discharged.
Addressing participants of the 72nd Annual New Year School and Conference at the Great Hall of the Commonwealth Hall at the University of Ghana, under the theme: ‘Building Ghana in the face of Global Health Crisis,’ President Akufo-Addo said the details of the work and report of the committee will be made public soon by his government.
“The committee formed by the government to recommend the appropriate decision on COVID-19 vaccines has completed its work enabling the government to begin discussions with vaccine manufacturing companies to order suitable doses of the vaccines for use in Ghana. Details of this will be announced very soon,” President Akufo-Addo said.
In his address, the President noted, “The (COVID-19) pandemic has illustrated vividly the need for self-reliance in all areas of social and economic life.”
To this end, the President posited, “It is key that we also break the cycle of dependence on foreigners in the field of science and medicine as well.
“It is not beyond our scientists and pharmaceutical companies, whose knowledge and expertise cannot be questioned, to produce indigenous Ghanaian vaccines to combat the virus. We must be up and doing,” President Akufo-Addo stated.
Dr. Anarfi Asamoa-Baah, the Presidential Coordinator for the Government of Ghana’s Coronavirus Response Programme and former Deputy Director of the World Health Organization (WHO), delivered the keynote address at the ceremony. He noted that the COVID-19 crisis that has bedeviled the world is a clear and present danger. He called on the general public to ensure that all COVID-19 protocols in place are respected at all times.
Source: Mybrytfmonline.com/Obed Ansah
