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The Ghana National Chamber of Pharmacy (GNCoP) observes with concern the increasing rates of new Covid 9 infections on daily basis and the fact that this 3rd wave is driven by the more contagious and deadly delta virus.

Ghana seems to be behind Europe and USA by 4-6 months in the Covid 19 pandemic. Thus it is possible to predict where we will be should we not do much about prevention and following laid down protocols Unfortunately, we do not have the robust health systems to mitigate the potential increased hospitalisation and mortality rates.

It is worthy of note that the rest of the world are not panicking because they are focused on getting access to vaccines and increasing their vaccination rates to herd immunity levels. Increased vaccination is leading to less hospitalization and deaths even as they open their schools and their economies have started picking up, just because they are strictly observing all the relevant protocols and applying stringent and punitive actions, including spot fines, against defaulters

The GNCoP therefore calls on government to focus on creating speedy access to certified Covid 19 vaccinnes to help us reach the 20m vaccination target by end of 2021.

We need to get vaccines from all possible credible sources
⦁ Government to government
⦁ Involvement of credible 3rd parties
⦁ Local packaging and production.

South Africa, Morocco and Senegal are setting up local vaccine packaging and proauction capabilities and we have to fast track the process to follow suit locally to sustain the demand now and the near future.
We have credible members of the GNCoP with the right network and experience to help source WHO approved Covid 19 vaccines and they are willing to support the process.

At this time, what we need as a nation is a concerted effort leveraging on our strengths together to get enough vaccines for the general population.

We will therefore request that we move on with the lessons learnt out of the abortive attempt to procure Sputnik V vaccines and support the Minister of Health to lead the process in procuring enough vaccines from all credible sources with the help and collaboration of our Ambassadors and High Commissioners in various parts of the world.

The network and experience of our Minister of Health, Hon Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, in managing the pandemic has been good so far, and stands him in good stead to continue his pood work and this is not the time to chanpe leadership.

We need to put together our expertise as Ghanaians and partner the relevant external bodies to procure and produce enough vaccines thus preventing increased morbidity and mortality due to Covid-l9 pandemic and its variants in Ghana.

PHARM HARRISON K. ABUTIATE
CHAIRMAN, GHANA NATIONAL CHAMBER OF PHARMACY