The Ashanti Regional Health Directorate has announced the commencement of yellow fever vaccination in some districts across the region.

They include Asokore Mampong, Ejisu, Juaben, Sekyere Afram Plains and Sekyere Kumawu.

In all, 440,000 persons will be immunised during the vaccination exercise using 630 teams, 1,200 volunteers, 630 vaccinators and 105 supervisors.

Speaking at a press conference held in the regional capital, Kumasi, on Tuesday, 10 November 2020, the Regional Health Director, Dr Emmanuel Tenkorang, noted that the vaccination exercise will protect people from contracting yellow fever.

Dr Tenkorang said: “One injection of yellow fever will give you full-life protection. Ghana is endemic for yellow fever, and until recently, almost every year, we were reporting cases.  Sometimes, we have a focal outbreak of yellow fever, and, as we all know, we give routine immunization; it’s part of the EPI vaccines that we give.

“We did yellow fever risk assessment in the year 2010, as part of the global strategy to eliminate yellow fever and the aim is to protect the risk population and also prevent international spread and then contain any outbreak of yellow fever, so, the at-risk population is the population that is vaccinated.”

He revealed that the immunisation will begin from 12 to 18 November 2020, adding: “We’ll have a mass campaign in some selected districts in the Ashanti Region and the target population is 10 to 60 years.”

The Regional Health Director emphasised that pregnant women shall not be vaccinated during the campaign.

The vaccination is free and shall be available at vaccination posts, health centres and hospitals.

Vaccination cards will also be given for free to all persons who will be immunised.

Dr Tenkorang advised persons who react to the vaccine to report to the nearest hospital.

He further called on persons who will be participating in the immunisation exercise to observe the COVID-19 protocols.