The Ashanti Regional Health Directorate has announced that the immunisation exercise against COVID-19 will commence across the region from Tuesday, 2 March 2021.

The exercise is expected to take place in the 14 districts within Greater Kumasi, which were among the places that were locked down by the government in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the country.

The Regional Health Director, Dr Emmanuel Tenkorang, told the media at a press conference on Wednesday, 24 February 2021 that the vaccination will be embarked on in phases.

He said the first phase will start on 2 March and target four groups including frontline health workers, security agencies, persons aged over 60 and all persons with chronic diseases.

He indicated that the region is expecting the delivery of 2 million vaccines in order to begin the vaccination exercise.

Dr Tenkorang noted that the health workers expected to undertake the exercise will be trained to build their capacities and know the mode of delivery of the vaccine.

The exercise, he said, will take place at all the health facilities including private health facilities and those who will be vaccinated need to come with a national identity card since the date will be taken.

Meanwhile, Ghana has received 600,000 doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine made by the Serum Institute of India (Covishield).

The consignment was delivered today, February 24, 2021.

This is the first consignment of vaccines acquired through the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access Facility (COVAX) which Ghana, among 92 countries has signed unto.

The Minister-designate of Health, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu and officials from the Ghana Health Service were at the Kotoka International Airport.