The Regional Public Health Director, Dr. Gifty Amugi, said the 21-day vaccination exercise would have a four-day aggressive penetration in most affected communities, while the remaining 17 days would be normal delivery.

She described the vaccines as safe and approved by the Food and Drug Authority (FDA).

The Region currently has 59 active cases from 13 districts with two deaths.

Dr Amugi said this at the Sub-national launch of the Mpox Vaccine in new Takoradi in the Western Region with departmental heads as well as District Health Directors of the service well represented.

The Acting Director-General of GHS, Dr. Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, who launched Sub-national project said, “some 1, 800 clinicians and health staff have been trained in the surveillance…we shall keep campaign and awareness across the country”.

He thanked dedicated workers and volunteers for the commitment to the response activities.

Dr. Akoriyea said the nation has so far recorded three deaths, “Our newest hope is the vaccination, we cannot afford to lose people to this preventable condition.”

All Health workers, close contact of confirmed cases, and the seven high risks districts among others would be first vaccinated.

Dr Akoriyea encouraged proper hand washing, avoiding close contact or handling clothings of affected persons.

He urged all stakeholders to come on board: traditional leaders, red Cross, opinion leaders adding, “we all need to be part of the Solution.”

Dr. Marion Okoe, the GHS Western Regional Director, said the vaccination, which was targeted, would complement ongoing surveillance, case management, home care, and other interventions to arrest the virus.

Dr Frank Lule, from the WHO country office said the African Region had so far recorded 120 deaths from 30,000 confirmed cases.

He noted that the WHO would continue to provide technical and operational support to end the condition in Ghana.

The team, after the launch, embarked on community engagement and vaccination.

GNA

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Depending on the production capacity of manufacturers, agreements for up to 12 million doses through 2025 can be made, according to the statement.

Under the tender, UNICEF will set up conditional supply agreements with vaccine manufacturers, the statement said.

This will enable UNICEF to purchase and ship vaccines without delay, once financing, demand, readiness and regulatory requirements are confirmed.

The collaboration – which would also include working with the Vaccine Alliance and the Pan American Health Organization as well as with Gavi, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and WHO – would facilitate donations of vaccines from existing stockpiles in high-income countries.

The statement added that, WHO is reviewing information submitted by manufacturers on Aug. 23, and expects to complete a review for an emergency use listing by mid-September.

The agency is reviewing applications for emergency licences for two vaccines made by Bavarian Nordic and Japan’s KM Biologics.

Earlier in August, the WHO declared mpox a global public health emergency following an outbreak of the viral infection in the Democratic Republic of Congo that spread to neighbouring countries.

More than 18,000 suspected cases of mpox have been reported in Congo so far this year with 629 deaths, while over 150 cases have been confirmed in Burundi, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

Sweden and Thailand have confirmed cases of the clade Ib type of the virus, outside of the Democratic Republic of Congo and neighbouring countries.

Source: Reuters

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