The Wa West District Health Directorate has commenced the Covid-19 vaccination exercise at some designated places and health centres in the district.

The exercise is expected to vaccinate a targeted population of 56,000 people in the district against the deadly virus.

Mr Clifford Veng, the Wa West District Director of Health Services, revealed this to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview at Wechiau.

He noted that his outfit had so far received 141 (1128 doses) vials of the Astra Zenica vaccines, which could cover only five per cent of the targeted population.

"What we have is not enough but we are expecting more from the region to enable us to meet our target", he explained.

Mr Veng indicated that all persons of 18 years old and above, excluding pregnant women and seriously sick persons, were qualified to receive the jab, and urged them to go to the vaccination centres with any national ID card such as passport or Ghana Card to be vaccinated.

"Patronage is high. We were afraid that because of false information circulating on social media, the people will not go out, but the turnout is good", he said.

He explained that prior to the commencement of the exercise, they carried out social mobilisation with an information van to sensitise the public on the need for them to fully participate in the vaccination exercise, the importance of the vaccine, its possible side effect, and where one could get vaccinated.

As at about 12 noon when the GNA visited the vaccination centre at the Wechiau Chief's Palace, over 80 people had already been vaccinated while others were still in a queue to get vaccinated.