Government has begun discussions with Covid-19 vaccine manufacturing companies, the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has announced.
According to the President, the discussions are with the goal of ordering suitable doses of the vaccines for use in Ghana.
The step, President Akufo-Addo said, follows the completion of the work of the committee government set up to recommend the appropriate decision on Covid-19 vaccines.
Delivering his address at the 72nd annual New Year School at the University of Ghana, Legon, the President stated that the committee had submitted its work to government and that the details would be made known soon.
The President further noted that through advances of science, there are now vaccines which have already been administered in some countries that could help control, and eventually end the pandemic.
He said: “The committee formed by government to recommend the appropriate decision on COVID-19 vaccines has completed its work, enabling government to begin discussions with vaccine manufacturing companies, with the goal of ordering suitable doses of the vaccines for use in Ghana. Details of this will be announced very soon,” President Akufo-Addo said.
In his address, the President noted that “the [COVID-19] pandemic has illustrated vividly the need for self-reliance in all areas of social and economic life.”
Meanwhile, the President also urged the general public to strictly comply with the Covid-19 safety protocols, as it was the surest way to completely bring the virus under control.
“…and surely, we are faring much better than many other countries, including some well-advanced developed countries,” he stated.
However, the President swiftly added that if the country does not adhere to the safety protocols, all the work being undertaken to build Ghana in the face of the global health crisis would fail.
In his address, the President noted that “the (COVID-19) pandemic has illustrated vividly the need for self-reliance in all areas of social and economic life.”
To this end the President noted: “It is key that we also break the cycle of dependence on foreigners in the field of science and medicine as well.
“It is not beyond our scientists and pharmaceutical companies, whose knowledge and expertise cannot be questioned, to produce an indigenous Ghanaian vaccine to combat the virus. We must be up and doing,” President Akufo-Addo charged.
President Akufo-Addo said the COVID-19 though had derailed the progress being made in Ghana, which led to the slowdown of economic activities leading to a revision of GDP growth of six percent to 1.9%. But, he also added that it had also presented the country with an opportunity to resolve some long-standing problems in the health sector.
He said the government was already working to mitigate the impact of the pandemic, which includes reducing the monetary policy rate, reduction of cash reserves for banks, supporting businesses with soft loans, and grants among others.
Particularly, he mentioned the steps the government had taken to resolve the country’s healthcare infrastructure, which had culminated into Agenda 111 – construction of hospital buildings around the country, and upgrading existing hospitals.
Again, he said: “On our own, the country stepped up the domestic production and supply of PPE to create business opportunities for the local textile and garment industries.”
Dr. AnarfiAsamoa-Baah, Presidential Co-ordinator for Government of Ghana’s Coronavirus Response Programme and former Deputy Director of the World Health Organisation (WHO), delivered the keynote address at the ceremony.
He noted that the COVID-19 crisis that had bedeviled the world was clear and present danger. He called on the general public to ensure that all COVID-19 protocols in place are respected at all times.
About 300 participants took part in this year’s New Year School and Conference, and since its inception in 1948, has been the flagship programme of the University.
The focus of this year’s programme is on global health crisis due to the devastating effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on economies and lives.
Participants included experts from the health and education sectors, organised labour, and metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies.
The usual weeklong programme has been shortened to two days due to the pandemic.
The New Year School will close on January 20, this year.
The post Gov’t starts discussions on Covid-19 vaccine appeared first on The Chronicle Online.
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