Dr Louisa Matey, Ayawaso West Municipal Director of Health Services, has debunked claims that COVID-19 vaccines cause infertility in men and women.

She said the vaccines were scientifically verified by the World Health Organisation and fit for purpose, urging residents of the Ayawaso West Municipality to come out in their numbers to get vaccinated.

Dr Louisa Matey said this at the launch of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign for the Municipality.

The event, organised by the Municipal Assembly in collaboration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (N&MC), saw the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Municipal Health Director, Registrar and staff of the N&MC, among others, took turns to get vaccinated.

Dr Matey said the Municipality was the first to start the vaccination programme due to the high rate of infection in the area and said the programme would be undertaken in 12 days at 24 health centres, three of them being static centres, with the remaining being mobile sites.

She said after the 12 days, they would break for eight weeks and resume for the second dose.

The Municipal Health Director said they were hoping to administer at least 4,000 doses of vaccines in the Municipality with a focus on frontline health workers, chronically ill patients, frontline security personnel, persons over 60 years of age.

Mrs Sandra Owusu Ahinkorah, MCE of the Municipality, said the Municipal Assembly would ignite the vaccination sensitisation and education campaign in the various communities to get residents vaccinated.

She entreated the public to get vaccinated so they could protect themselves and others to help stop the spread of the virus.

“The vaccine is real and effective. It has no side effects of infertility, death, whatsoever. So I am urging all residents of the Ayawaso West Municipality to come out in their numbers and get vaccinated,” she added.

Mr Felix Nyante, Registrar of the N&MC, urged all nurses and midwives to get vaccinated to inspire the public and prove that the vaccines were safe.