Govt urged to educate public on coronavirus vaccine

A communications team member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr T.T Caternor, has called on the Ghana Government to invest in the education of the covid-19 vaccine to the public.

That, he said will help the public understand the need to go for the vaccine in order to prevent more people from losing their lives to the coronavirus disease.

Educating the public, he said will clear the misconceptions people have about the vaccine created by conspiracy theorists.

Ghana received the first batch of COVID-19 vaccine on Thursday morning, February 24, 2021, at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA).

The 600,000 doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, made by the Serum Institute of India (Covishield) were received by a delegation led by the Minister of Health, Mr Kwaku Agyeman Manu.

Speaking on Atinka TV’s Morning show, Ghana Nie, hosted by Ekourba Gyasi Simpremu, Mr Caternor said, “This is the time the media has to be engaged in the education. It shouldn’t be free. If the Ghana Health Service has to pay the media to do the education, it must do it. In as much as we want to ensure everyone takes it, the education must be robust.”

He also commended the government for bringing the vaccine to the country, saying that it will help save lives.

Although the doses received are not enough to cover the whole country, he expressed hope that the rest will follow in due time.

“What matters is that it has arrived. Everyone should take his or her shot so that more lives will be saved,” he said.

Mr Caternor said although the vaccine has arrived, people should continue to take good care of themselves by adhering to the safety protocols until the virus leaves the system since it is not 100 percent protection.

The host of the show, Ekourba Gyasi also underscored the need to educate the public, especially health workers on how to store the vaccine and save it from going bad, the mode of transportation, distribution and the facilities to store them.

For his part, the Constituency Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) at New Juaben North, Mr Kwadwo Boateng Agyemang, suggested that the vaccination should be made free and compulsory.

He said although people have the right to take it or reject it, the President should make it compulsory, especially for those who contract the disease and are treated.

He also underscored the need for government to invest in educating the public on the vaccine.