The Ningo-Prampram District Director of Health Services, in the Greater Accra region, Ms Gifty Ansah, has appealed to residents in the area, to patronise the COVID-19 vaccination.
He expressed worry about the low patronage of the ongoing vaccination, and gave the assurance of large quantity of vaccines at the vaccination centres.
Ms Ansah at an adolescent reproductive health meeting at Prampram over the weekend, asked residents to take the jabs to protect them against the disease.
He said there were enough Astra Zeneca, Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson and Johnson vaccines at the Prampram Polyclinic, CHPS compounds at Dawhenya, Dawa and Nigbenya.
Investigations by the Ghanaian Times revealed that the low patronage was partly due to the influence of conspiracy theory on social media, belief in herbal medicine and insufficient information about COVID-19.
When contacted, the Assembly member for North Dawhenya Electoral Area, Mr Moses Kutor, said some people in the area did not believe that the disease was real.
“Others were convinced by conspiracy theories, including ‘COVID-19 is created by some scientists to eliminate or control sections of the world’s population”, he said.
Mr Kutor called on the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to educate the public through churches, mosques and other public places about the importance of the vaccination exercise.
The Assembly member for Lekpogunor Electoral Area, Mr Henry K. Narh, said residents believed there were no COVID-19 cases in the area and were not motivated to take the jabs.
He said some people, who were vaccinated, complained about initial pains in the arm and that seemed to have scared others.
Mr Narh gave the assurance that opinion leaders would collaborate with health officials to educate members of the communities on the need to take the jabs.
The Presiding Member for Ningo-Prampram District, Mr Solomon Djangmah, gave the promise that the District Assembly would work with the GHS and other stakeholders to sustain the education on COVID-19.
FROM GODFRED BLAY GIBBAH, PRAMPRAM
