Ghana pushes for community vaccination

In Ghana, the push towards community vaccination has increased at a time when the country still faces the threat of rising infections as well vaccine hesitancy.

The government is pushing to innoculate around 23 million out of a total of 31 million people.

"The house to house vaccination has really been very effective. Because most people say when they come to the various facilities, there is a lot of queues, they don't get their vaccination on time, it delays them from going to their various works and all that. But going to their houses, you may meet a client washing or something. But if he or she agrees to take the vaccine he or she can pause whatever they're doing and take the vaccine, then continue", said community 'Vaccinator' Doretta Konney.

According to experts, vaccine uptake in Africa has been very slow.

A UN report published last month announced the Continent had only vaccinated 15% of its adult population so far.

According to the World Health Organization, out of 714 million doses received so far, just 61% had been administered.

"It's a great opportunity. A great innovation. I think it's the way to go if you want to reach a more risky population. Like older people. People with comorbidities. You have to go to their home. Explain the situation and the advantage of getting vaccinated" explained Aichatou Cisse, Senior Country Manager at GAVI Vaccine Alliance.

Ghana has registered over 160,000 cases of Covid-19 and at least 1,445 deaths so far.