Dr Damien Punguyire, the Upper West Regional Director of Health Services, has announced that about 9,500 health workers in the Region will be vaccinated against the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

The number comprised clinical, non-clinical and casual workers in the public, private and Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) facilities, staff and students of health training institutions in the Region.

Dr Punguyire, who disclosed this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Wa on Tuesday, noted that the exercise in the region was expected to last for seven days.

"The vaccine deployment has started in the region, and in this region, we are targeting only health workers. Across the country, the government has decided that health workers should be vaccinated.

"In all, we are expecting over 9,500 staff to vaccinate, including our students. When we talk about health staff it means both clinical and non-clinical, including casual workers. So, all casual workers working in government and private health facilities will all be covered," he explained.

The Health Director observed that the visit to some vaccinating centres revealed long queues of health workers ready to receive the jab.

"The few places that I went, the health staff are in queues to take the vaccine. We have not recorded any refusal. On the contrary, we have some retired health workers who want to be covered in this vaccine," he added.

Dr Punguyire encouraged members of the public to avail themselves to be vaccinated when there was a full rollout, saying "the vaccine is safe and there is evidence that it protects against severe disease and give some protection against infections."

The government, on March 2, 2021, rolled out the COVID-19 vaccination programme for segments of the population.

They include healthcare workers, frontline security personnel, persons of 60 years and above and frontline members of the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary, among others.