Humanitarian Response
Global Communities, with funding from USAID is implementing COVID-19 Vaccination Technical Support (COVAX) to increase uptake in northern Ghana, namely: Upper East, Upper West, Northern, Savannah, North-East and Oti Regions.
The purpose of this activity is to provide implementation support to the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to accelerate the delivery of COVID-19 vaccinations to 4,488,213 people in northern Ghana per the geographic scope. This goal is consistent with the goal of the U.S. COVID-19 Global Response and Recovery Framework, which is to end the pandemic.
Results
As of December 9, 2022 5,926,073 vaccines had been administered nationwide, with 2,627,967 persons have been fully vaccinated, including pregnant women.
2,627,967+
people fully vaccinated
Documentary
Reaching The Unreachable
This documentary tells the story of the strategies, challenges and successes in addressing Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy among some communities in the Oti Region of Ghana.
Our Approach
To overcome barriers in reaching populations who, because of social determinants or vaccine hesitancy, are less likely to become fully vaccinated, Global Communities has supported several social and behavior change communications activities, including the production and translation of a jingle in local dialects for broadcast on radio stations and through Community Information Centers and mobile van announcements. The jingle contains information about the benefits of taking the vaccine, where to get it and what to do before you are vaccinated. Other strategies have included:
- raising awareness about the pandemic;
- reinforcing basic prevention measures and increasing confidence in COVID-19 vaccines through home visits;
- meetings and information-sharing sessions at churches, mosques, schools and durbars, or formal community-wide gatherings.
By directly engaging with religious, traditional and other public opinion leaders, listening to their concerns and answering questions they have about COVID-19, health promotion officers and other project staff have been able to dismantle misconceptions and raise demand for the vaccine among local communities.
2.8 million +
people receiving at least one dose
700,000+
people receiving first booster
10,000+
pregnant women vaccinated
Testimonial
I am grateful to USAID and Global Communities for providing us with vaccines and logistics in the hard-to-reach communities. Despite the challenges in vaccinating people in hard-to-reach communities, I still put my life at risk to get to the communities and vaccinate them. When I talk to the people and they accept to take the vaccine it’s a plus, and it makes me happy.
Deborah Attah-Kumah
Community Health Nurse, Akati-Ablorga - Oti Region