Ghana receives 350,000 COVID-19 vaccines
Ghana has taken delivery of the second batch of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines after weeks of delay.
The consignment arrived at the Kotoka International Airport aboard a Turkish Airline plane at about 5 am on Friday, May 7.
The 350,000 doses of vaccines are part of the initial 600,000 doses received under the WHO COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access Facility (COVAX) facility on February 24.
About 850,000 persons received the first jabs under Ghana’s vaccination programme.
They could have the second jabs to complete the vaccination process after the unavailability of the vaccines in Ghana.
The delay was due to the skyrocketing COVID-19 cases and deaths in India, which serves as the primary source of many global vaccine manufacturers.
Lockdowns, shutdowns, rising infections among the workforce amidst high demand for vaccines in the populous nation meant a shortage of supplies to other countries.
Chief Director of the Ministry of Health, Mr Kwabena Boadu Oku-Afari received the vaccines on behalf of the government.
“The consignment, which is under the Covax facility, arrived from DR Congo through Istanbul on a Turkish Airline,” the Ministry of Health said in a Tweet.
The government of Ghana this morning received 350,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccines to kick-start the second phase of the Covid-19 vaccination programme.
The consignment, which is under the Covax facility, arrived from DR Congo through Istanbul on a Turkish Airline. pic.twitter.com/SNjOWeRjww
— Ministry of Health, Ghana (@mohgovgh) May 7, 2021