The Upper Manya Krobo District Health Directorate has decried low turnout for Covid-19 vaccination in the district due to some misconceptions growing among the populace.

The Health Directorate estimated to vaccinate about fifty thousand, one hundred and four (50,104) people in the district by the end of this year, however, only 282 have fully been vaccinated since the inception of the vaccination exercise.

About 820 persons who took the first jab are however hesitating to take the second dose.

According to the District Health Director, Esther Dua Oyinka, some of the reasons noted for the high hesitation in the district include the fact that there is misinformation that the ruling New Patriotic Party government wants to use the vaccine to change the minds of electorates in the district to vote for the NPP in 2024 and subsequent elections.

“Some of the rumours are that if you are a man and you take the vaccine you will become impotent which is a falsehood. Others are saying if you are a lady, you will cease menstruation and you cannot give birth any longer, others say if you take it will push you to your early grave because you will experience some funny signs and symptoms in your body. Even some are saying it is the government that has put in certain things to make up for the vaccine to vaccinate them so that it will change their minds from voting for any other party except the ruling party” She lamented.

Upper Manya Krobo is a stronghold of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).

The district is made up of many farming communities where most of the populace are farmers with high illiteracy rates.

However, the District Health Director says sensitization and awareness creation has been intensified to dispel the growing misconceptions about the vaccine to encourage residents to be immunized.

The Health Director said, she has planned to take advantage of the farmers day celebration to take her second dose at the event to demonstrate that the vaccine is safe and has no effect whatsoever.

The Ministry of Health has declared December as Vaccination Month to ensure the implementation of a mandatory vaccination policy from January next year.

The Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, who announced this on behalf of the sector Minister, Mr Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, named the selected groups of people to include all workers in government institutions and all commercial drivers.

The others groups are staff of the three arms of government, all healthcare workers, all security personnel, and all students and staff of secondary and tertiary institutions.

Meanwhile, Ghana has confirmed two cases of omicron variant of Covid-19.

Source: Kasapafmonline.com/Kojo Ansah