The Municipal Director of Health Services, David Agbokpe has urged residents of Ketu South to take COVID-19 vaccines to attain population immunity.

He said there was a high COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in the municipality disclosing that from March 2021 to December 30, 2023, those fully vaccinated against the disease represented 32.4 percent, which was far below the World Health Organisation's target.

Of a target population of 149,619 representing 72 percent, a total of 48,452 people (32.4 percent) were fully vaccinated with 61,891 (41.4 percent) taking at least one dose.

Mr. Agbokpe made the call during the Directorate’s 2023 programme work review held at Aflao.

He said though the disease was no longer a global health emergency, there was a need to get a sufficient percentage of the population vaccinated against the contagious disease to reduce the likelihood of infection for individuals who lack immunity.

“In 2021, 344 cases tested positive for COVID in Ketu South, 331 recovered with 13 deaths. The situation improved over the period in 2022 with 29 positive cases with no deaths. In 2023, the caseload reduced drastically to three with no deaths. Currently, as we speak, the municipality has no active case

"COVID-19 vaccination is one of the interventions that are ongoing despite the great reduction in the number of cases we currently suspect and confirm in our various facilities just to achieve herd immunity. In all, … 48,452 people were fully vaccinated in the Municipality.

"This indicates that there are a lot out there in our municipality who have not yet taken the vaccine for herd immunity. We encourage all to serve as agents to advocate for these vaccines to address vaccine hesitancy issues in our communities because these vaccines are safe", he said.

"Modern-day vaccination is an evolution of an old scarification approach which aside from the cultural purpose, was also a traditional healing method used by many tribes in Africa which involved placing superficial incisions on the skin using tools such as broken glass, knives, and blades, and through which concoctions were introduced into the body to treat ailments", he added.

The annual review program was to update stakeholders in the health sector on the successes and challenges of the directorate. It also saw some staff of the directorate awarded Presidential honour certificates for their strives in curbing the spread of the virus since its inception in the country.