USAID organises training on COVID-19 at Goaso

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Strengthening the Care Continuum Project, on Tuesday held a day’s training on COVID-19 for 30 participants, at Goaso, in the Ahafo Region.

It was organised by JSI Research and Training Institute International (RTII), in collaboration with the Ghana Health Service (GHS), through the Global Vax project, with funding from USAID.

The project, being implemented by JSI, would leverage its existing network to mobilise people aged 15 years and above to access COVID – 19 vaccines in Ahafo, Western and Western North regions.

Participants were taken through topics such as vaccine misinformation management, COVID -19 situational update, risk communication and COVID – 19 vaccination update.

Mr Richard Adupong, the Communications and Knowledge Advisor, JSI, said the project would target pregnant women, Persons Living with HIV and disabilities, and migrant population.

The Communications Advisor noted that the objective of the project was to ensure an increase in COVID – 19 vaccination awareness, acceptance and intake of the vaccine in a safe, accessible and equitable manner.

“Today’s activity is first in the series to identify and train about 400 people as COVID – 19 myth busters in the Ahafo Region”, he disclosed.

Mr Adupong indicated that the project, would provide implementation support to the GHS to accelerate the delivery of 3,003,035 COVID – 19 vaccinations in the targeted regions, thus helping the GHS to achieve national vaccination target.

He said the role of the COVID – 19 myth busters was to help debunk misinformation and disinformation on COVID -19, and to address vaccination hesitancy through education and vaccination campaigns.

The Ahafo Regional Director of the GHS, Dr Samuel Kwabena Boateng – Boakye, , emphasised that COVID – 19 vaccines were not to reduce the African population, weaken the sexual performance among men, and have no spiritual and cultural effects.

The Regional Director reechoed that COVID – 19 vaccines were safe, effective, free and accessible across the country saying that ” the booster shots help maintain protection”.

He implored the beneficiary COVID – 19 myth busters to prudently use the skills and knowledge acquired at the session, to help reduce the vaccine hesitancy menace in the Ahafo Region.

FROM EMMANUEL ADU GYAMFI, GOASO