President Akufo-Addo has dismissed fears among some Ghanaians that COVID vaccines will make them vote differently from their preferred parties in future elections.
“Let me state, as clearly as I can. The vaccines are safe. They will not harm you. They will not harm you. They will protect you and your family. Contrary to the mischief being peddled by some, getting vaccinated will not cause you to vote for the NPP in the 2024 elections, if you do not want to.
“This is an outrageous claim. Vaccination cannot change your political preferences. That is not its purpose”, the President said in his 27th update since the pandemic Wednesday night.
The President noted vaccination is best way out of the pandemic which has claimed many lives.
“Getting the jab is the best route out of the pandemic, because, according to WHO, it reduces the risk of death, hospitalisation and the spread of the virus. it is for this reason that we have committed ourselves to vaccinating some twenty million Ghanaians, that is the entire adult population, by the end of the year”.
Vaccines and NPP
The Upper Manya Krobo District Health Directorate has decried low turnout for Covid-19 vaccination in the district due to some misconceptions festering among the people.
The Health directorate estimated to vaccinate about fifty thousand, one hundred and four (50,104) people in the district by the end of this year, however, only 282 have fully been vaccinated since the inception of the vaccination exercise.
About 820 persons who took the first jab are however hesitating to take the second dose.
According to the District Health Director, Esther Dua Oyinka, some of the reasons for the high hesitancy in the district include the fact that there is misinformation that the ruling New Patriotic Party government wants to use the vaccine to change the minds of electorate in the district to vote for the NPP in 2024 and subsequent elections.
“Some of the rumours are that if you are a man and you take the vaccine you will become impotent which is a falsehood. Others are saying if you are a lady, you will cease menstruation and you cannot give birth any longer, others say if you take it you are going to die that it will push you to your early grave because you will experience some funny signs and symptoms in your body. Even some are saying it is the government that has put in certain things to make up for the vaccine to vaccinate them so that it will change their minds from voting for any other party except the sitting party,” She lamented.
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