The statement by the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) that there has not been any record of blood clots linked to the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccination in Ghana and the appeal to Ghanaians to join forces with the government to salvage the economy from the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic are some of the leading stories in the Ghanaian press on Wednesday.
The Graphic reports that the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) says there has not been any record of blood clots linked to the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccination in Ghana.
According to the Authority, although it has received reports of adverse effects of the vaccine, it has not received any reports of blood clots.
It said, among the most commonly reported adverse effects among those vaccinated are headaches, fever, chills, body pains, pain at injection site, weakness, nausea and dizziness.
These effects, the FDA says are expected from the vaccination and in most cases, are resolved within a day or two.
The FDA made these known a press statement issued on Tuesday, March 16, following reports of blood clots in some countries in Europe and the subsequent suspension of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccination in those countries.
“The FDA would like to reassure the public that it is closely monitoring this situation locally and to date, no events of blood clots linked to the Covishield vaccine have been reported among those who have been vaccinated in Ghana,” the statement said.
The newspaper says that the Minister designate for Finance, Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta, has described the 2021 Budget Statement as a rallying cry to Ghanaians to join forces with the government to salvage the economy from the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said the pandemic had wreaked grave havoc on lives and livelihoods, such that only a united front, ready to share the burden and sacrifice a little for the nation, would help reverse the consequences, mitigate the impact and put the economy back on track.
Speaking yesterday for the first time since he flew to the United States of America (USA) for the treatment of post-COVID-19 complications in mid-February, Mr Ofori-Atta said the budget that was presented on March 12 would lay the needed foundation to build back from the devastating effects of the COVID-19.
He was contributing to a virtual post-budget review engagement organised by the auditing and accounting firm, Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC), to provide insights into and perspectives on the 2021 budget that was presented by the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Majority Leader, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu.
On the theme: ‘Consolidation, completion and continuity’, the 2021 budget was the nation’s first revenue and expenditure estimation to be presented by a non-Finance Minister and it majored on roads, industrialisation and digitisation.
“Truly, I think this is a seminal budget; it is a rallying cry to all of us, as a country, to ask: ‘what are we all going to do to make sure that COVID-19 does not sink us?’” he said.
Mr Ofori-Atta said the budget was premised on “an incredible period of renewal for us, as Ghanaians, to get our economy back to where it was or where it should be going”.
The Graphic also reports that the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), with support from the World Food Programme (WFP), is to disburse $1.5 million to vulnerable farmers and households in selected regions to cushion them against the devastation caused by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Under the Cash Transfer for Emergency Support to Rural Livelihood and Food Systems Exposed to COVID-19 (ESRF), beneficiaries from the North East, Northern, Savannah, Upper East and Upper West regions have been identified and profiled to receive cash transfer support.
Each beneficiary is expected to receive GH¢1,641.60, the equivalent of $288 at an exchange rate of GH¢5.7 after deduction of expenses.
The WFP is providing funding for the programme, while the Ghana National Household Registry (GNHR) under the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection is the implementing agency.
At the launch of the programme at the MoFA Resource Centre in Accra yesterday, the National Coordinator of the GNHR, Dr/ Prosper Laari, said 5,000 individuals would benefit from the relief fund.
GIK/APA