The willingness of members of the Volta Region House of Chiefs (VRHC) to take part in the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccination exercise is a ground-breaking move in the fight against the virus, according to DrSenanuKwesiDjokoto, Volta Regional Deputy Director of Health, in-charge of Public Health.
He made the remark in Ho on Thursday when the exercise was carried out at the VRHC.
About 30 chiefs and their aides received the AstraZeneca and the Johnson & Johnson jabs during the exercise.
Some journalists who were present to cover the event also benefitted from the vaccination.
DrDjokoto said that the positive stance of the chiefs signified highly bright prospects in efforts to combat the virus.
“We are still relying on the support of our traditional rulers to overcome COVID-19,” he added.
DrDjokoto said that cumulatively about 5,000 cases of COVID-19 were recorded in the region in the past 18 months with close to 100 mortalities.
The Deputy Director of Health said the health authorities were poised to vaccinate at least 70 percent of the targeted 1.5million people in the region before the end of the year.
DrDjokoto re-assured the public that the vaccines were safe, and said that the side effects such as pains at the vaccination site, fevers and joint pains were all manageable.
According to him, no cases of serious side effects from the vaccines had been recorded in the region so far.
He encouraged other members of the public to emulate the good example of the chiefs and get vaccinated as soon as possible, for all economic activities in the region to return normal.
Earlier, TogbeTepre Hodo IV, President of the Volta Region House of Chiefs pointed out that there was nothing superstitious about the coronavirus vaccines, saying there was enough evidence testifying that they were all effective.
He re-affirmed the stance VRHC to support the government vigorously in efforts to combat the virus.
FROM ALBERTO MARIO NORETTI, HO
