Let’s all be ambassadors of COVID-19 vaccine – Dr Djokoto

Peki (V/R), Dr Senanu Kwesi Djokoto, Deputy Volta Regional Director of Health, In Charge of Public Health, has called on all and sundry to be ambassadors and advocates of the COVID-19 vaccine. He said the vaccine was safe and effective in the fight against the virus to stem its spread hence the need for all to get on-board to sensitise their relatives to take the jab.

Dr Djokoto, who was speaking at this year’s World Stroke Day at Peki in the South Dayi District of the Volta region, said adherence to safety and preventive measures were a sine qua non in combating diseases and that one of the preventive mechanisms was immunisation.

He said during the outbreak of yellow fever, smallpox and measles, among others, people were quickly inoculated, which led to the eradication of those diseases, the reason COVID-19 vaccines were produced and procured by governments to vaccinate citizens to eliminate the virus.

The Deputy Health Director said it would be the “greatest disappointment for mankind if we do not make that effort to go for the jab” and urged all to support the government in its efforts at tackling the disease by taking the vaccine.

Dr Djokoto also advised the populace to continue practising the safety protocols of regular hand washing under running water, social distancing, wearing masks and use of alcohol-based hand sanitisers to curb the spread of the disease.

The Deputy Health Director told Ghana News Agency the Region recorded 5,315 cases with 5,220 recoveries, 79 deaths and 16 mild cases currently on admission.

He said the country needed a healthy and productive population to be able to develop, the reason the health of the citizens was extremely important, urging all to adopt a healthy lifestyle.

The Deputy Health Director said per the statistics, the dependent population was more than the population that was economically active and if the trend remained, the country would continuously suffer an economic imbalance.

Dr Djokoto said the Health Directorate had interventions in place to deliver quality services to the citizens and that their target was by “2030 the universal health coverage would be deeply rooted in the country.”

He lauded the government and Stroke Association Support Network-Ghana (SASNET-GHANA) for plans to establish stroke rehabilitation centres across the country, describing the idea as a noble one that would help address the inadequacy of such facilities in the country.

Mr Godwin Kwame Dzadzawa, South Dayi District Chief Executive (DCE), in a speech read on his behalf, commended SASNET-GHANA for its life after stroke initiative.

He pledged his support and urged all to join to put smiles on the faces of the victims of stroke who might have ruled out any hope and joy in their lifetime.

The DCE called on the relations of the stroke patients not to relent in their supportive efforts to improve their conditions.

Source: Ghana News Agency