A total of 11,574 people were vaccinated in the Bono Region during the first phase of the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination exercise, Dr Kofi Amo-Kodieh, the Regional Director of Health has said.

He explained the region received 7,500 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine on March 20, while the additional 4,000 consignments of the vaccine arrived on April 26, 2021, and were used to vaccinate security personnel, pensioners, teachers and media professionals.

Speaking at a stakeholder meeting on COVID-19 in Sunyani, Dr Amo-Kodieh said the region had so far recorded 1,395 COVID-19, including 399 health workers and 227 students as at April 26, 2021, adding, 38 deaths had been recorded as well.

Care International, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) organised the meeting in line with the implementation of its "Stop COVID-19 Initiative" project.

It was attended by health workers drawn from the various Municipal and District Assemblies in the Region.

With funding from Mars Incorporated, the project aimed at mitigating the impact of COVID-19 in selected coco-growing communities in the country.

Dr Amo-Kodieh mentioned low adherence to health safety measures by the general public, high cost of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) such as gloves and irregular supply of PPE for the treatment centers and contact tracers, as some challenges facing the management of the COVID-19 in the region.

Most isolation and case holding centers are also not ready in some districts, he indicated, noting the region required more funds for fuel to carry-out control activities.

Dr Amo-Kodieh appealed to the general public to continue adhering to health safety protocols and government restrictions, particularly the wearing of nose masks and social distancing to control the spread of the disease.

Mr Anala JB Marshall, the Project Manager of Care International, explained the project further sought to enhance the livelihoods of cocoa-farmer households in 60 communities in Bono, Ahafo, Ashanti, and Western Regions.