12,780 expired coronavirus vaccines destroyed in Volta Region

A total of 12,780 doses of various COVID-19 vaccines which were found to have expired in November have been destroyed by the Volta Regional Directorate of Health.

Deputy Director of Health (DDH) in charge of public health, Dr Senanu Kwesi Djokoto disclosed this to the Ghanaian Times in Ho on Friday.

He attributed the expiration of the vaccines to the low acceptance of the coronavirus jab among the populace, especially the youth in the region.

"The vaccines remained in stock until they expired because they were not being administered", explained the Deputy Director.

“The Volta Region has a lower vaccination coverage rate as compared to the national average and this is very unpleasant,” said Dr Djokoto.

He revealed that although the region had so far received 480,000 doses of the various coronavirus vaccines including AstraZeneca, Johnson and Johnson, Moderna and Pfitzer, only 259,847 doses were administered as of December 16, 2021.

Dr Djokoto said that 202, 540 people in the region had received at least one dose of the vaccine while only 59,308 were fully jabbed.

He said that health authorities in the region were now adapting an all-hands-on-deck approach to reverse the low vaccine-acceptance trend among the populace.

“This will involve traditional and religious authorities, various stakeholders and the media in our vigorous education campaign to convince the people to accept the jabs in their personal interests and the national interest as well,” the Deputy Director added.

According to the 2021 national census, the Volta Region’s population is 1,649,523.