Statistics at the Ashanti Regional Health Service indicate that 1,753,402 persons, representing 51.12 per cent, have received one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, while those fully vaccinated are 1,012,175, representing 29.5 per cent.

Cumulative cases in the Region stand at 22,295, while those recovered and discharged are 21,903 with 389 deaths.

Dr Emmanuel Tenkorang, Ashanti Regional Health Director, said these adding that there are three active cases, all being managed at home and no case at any treatment center.

According to the Director, total doses administered so far in the Region stood at 2,606,625, and that the vaccination exercise was ongoing.

But, he did not understand why many people were not vaccinating despite the availability of vaccine and urged those yet to vaccinate to do so “because we want to get 100 per cent”.

He was speaking at the 2021 annual performance review conference of the Service under the theme, “Continuity of service in the midst Of COVID-19”.

The Regional Director was worried about lack of doctors in some of the districts mentioning there were 984 doctors in the region, but they are mostly concentrated in the Metropolis.

He mentioned the improvement of the general outlooks of some of the districts to enable doctors accept postings, mentioning Afram Plains, Amansie Central as some of the areas without a doctor.

On hypertension and diabetes, Dr Tenkorang was worried that the numbers keep increasing stressing every year that diabetes cases increase by one percent while hypertension increases by five percent.

He called on the public to check their lifestyles by avoiding junk foods among others and do more exercises to avoid such diseases as they are lifestyle diseases.

Dr Tenkorang urged all to take advantage of awareness clinics set up in the hospitals to change lifestyles and improve on health.

The Health Director said, in spite of COVID-19 challenges, the Service would strengthen infection prevention activities in the health care facilities as well as improve quality of care through integrated supportive supervision and peer review.