It was also aimed at providing a well-coordinated national response that defined clear roles and responsibilities of stakeholders at the national, regional, and district levels for effective response to VREs for all types of vaccines in a timely manner.

As well as to offer guidance in training and mobilisation activities for effective vaccine response initiatives in Ghana.

Speaking at the meeting, Mr Laryea Odai-Tettey, Head of FDA, Ashanti Region, observed that misinformation about vaccines, including COVID-19 vaccine, had affected the health delivery in the region.

He said most of the people had bad perception about any vaccine they introduced, but urged everyone to be bold enough to discard that notion.

Mrs Rhoda Abenaa Appiah, Head of Communication and Public Education Department at the FDA, on her part, also added that Ghana should have a drafted plan to know how to engage the people on vaccines.

She said the draft would also help identify the problem when it developed to vaccinations in the region.

Mrs. Appiah said the VRE Response Plan was in four phases- Preparation for a VRE, Detecting VRE for effective monitoring, Responding to VRE, as well as Sustaining/post VRE through feedbacks and evaluation for further policy decision.

She said the program, since its establishment, had progressively introduced several vaccines such as malaria and COVID-19 into its routine immunisation, mainly among children under five years as well as adults.

Mrs Appiah said stakeholders played important roles in the process of effective management of VREs, and was hopeful that the meeting would make the document fit for purpose.

Dr Micheal Emmanuel Tenkorang, Ashanti Regional Health Director, advised Ghanaians to continue to adhere to COVID –19 safety protocols. 

”The wearing of nose masks, washing of hands regularly among others, were still very important interventions to curtail the upscale of the pandemic,” Dr Tenkorang added.