It was organised by the African German Health Association (AGHA), in partnership with the German Development Cooperation (GIZ), the Ministry of Health (MoH) and Ghana Health Service (GHS).

The training forms part of a three-month project that will focus on five main thematic areas namely; Infection Prevention and Control Knowledge Exchange and Capacity Building for COVID-19 vaccines.

 The rest are Healthcare Waste Management Knowledge Exchange and Capacity Building for Covid-19 Vaccines; Supply Chain and Cold Chain Logistics for Covid-19 vaccines; Increase Acceptance of Covid-19 Vaccination for Clinical and Non-Clinical Healthcare Facility Personnel.

The Project Manager for AGHA, Nana Ama Konadu Aning, said the team started the training with Infection Prevention and Control because it was very vital for healthcare providers at vaccination centres.

She said assessments, workshops and mentoring sessions at the vaccination centres will be shared with healthcare counterparts in Germany, to enable Ghana and Germany compare approaches and where necessary, bridge the gap to improve COVID-19 vaccination.

Nana Aning said “With funding support from the German Development Cooperation, implemented by GIZ, AGHA undertook a COVID-19 vaccination campaign project. This is a training and workshop programme that focuses on main areas. Today, we are organising a workshop for Infection and Prevention Control at vaccination centres.

 “We are engaging in a knowledge exchange and capacity building between Germany and Ghana, in order to better understand the situation at the vaccination centres in both countries and find ways to bridge any gaps that exist.”

She said among other things, the workshop will also aim at identifying the challenges that the districts face in discharging their duties, which is the administration of the COVID-19 vaccines.

Nana Aning said the two districts were chosen for the campaign because they were recommended by the Ghana Health Service, adding that the workshop was also used to educate healthcare personnel on the need to be vaccinated.

A Biomedical Engineer and Infection, Prevention and Control expert with AGHA, Josephine Owusu-Akyaw, indicated that a visit to the two districts brought to light an array of issues that healthcare service providers were facing in administering COVID-19 vaccines. 

 According to her, “some vaccinators have to deal with being given very little space to operate and sitting under trees where they are exposed to harsh weather conditions.”

Ms Owusu-Akyaw said “There are struggles at the various vaccination centres. For example, in Ablekuma North, there are no government hospitals so most of these vaccination centres are forced to attach to private hospitals where they are given just a small space to operate. Some have to sit under trees exposed to the weather, insects and other forms of conditions.”