The report of the delivery of 244,800 additional doses of the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus disease vaccine by the Ministry of Health yesterday and the progress made by the Centre for Plant Medicine Research (CPMR) in the development of herbal medicine for the treatment of COVID-19 are some of the trending stories in the Ghanaian press on Friday.
The Graphic reports that the Ministry of Health yesterday took delivery of 244,800 additional doses of the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine.
The single schedule vaccine was procured by the government through the AU-African Vaccine Acquisition Trust (AVAT) initiative.
It brings to 422,400 the doses of Johnson & Johnson vaccines received under the AVAT, including those from other sources.
In all, Ghana has taken delivery of 2,009,850 doses of COVID-19 vaccines, comprising AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson and Sputnik V.
The AVAT is an AU member countries purchasing facility instituted by the union to boost the continent’s access to COVID-19 vaccines on the global market.
Under the AVAT, AU member countries, including Ghana, have pooled resources to collectively purchase vaccines.
The AVAT, on March 28, 2021, signed a 220 million-dose purchase agreement with Johnson & Johnson, with the potential to order an additional 180 million.
The newspaper says that the Centre for Plant Medicine Research (CPMR) at Mampong Akwapim in the Eastern Region has made progress in the development of a herbal medicine for the treatment of COVID-19.
The acting Executive Director of the centre, Dr Kofi Bobi Barimah, who disclosed this, said his outfit was fast developing the herbal medicine, and that it would bring great respite to Ghanaians when it was introduced.
He said since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the centre had been working at the laboratory to help find a remedy to the life-threatening virus.
Dr Barimah gave the hint in Accra last Wednesday during the launch of an immune boosting food supplement called Thorntina-74 Mixture on the market.
“We have been working around the clock to get a herbal treatment for the COVID-19 and it will be out soon,” he said.
The herbal immune booster, which aims at providing support for the immune system to fight infectious diseases, is a distillate generated from three main plants — Moringa Oleifera, Spondias Mombin, commonly known as yellow mombin, and tetrapleura tetraptera (prekese).
Dr Barimah said the increase in patient attendance at the CPMR to seek treatment attested to the strong belief in and efficacy of herbal medicine, saying that had encouraged the centre to work on developing a cure for the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Graphic also reports that the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) has waged a war against foreigners who attempt to acquire Ghanaian passport through dubious means.
It has, therefore, repatriated 52 foreign nationals who attempted to acquire Ghanaian Passport by false declaration.
In the last nine months, GIS has prosecuted over 35 foreign nationals who were subsequently fined a total of GHC91,360.00.
Those prosecuted include eight Ghanaians, Nigerians, 17, South Africans, 1, Congolese,1, Togolese, 4, Beninese, 1, Cameroonians, 1, Sierra Leoneans, 1, and two Ivoirians.
Head of Legal at GIS, Chief Superintendent Adolf Aboagye-Asenso, said in an interview that the local accomplices of those repatriated were on the run, and that the GIS would spare no effort in arresting them.
He said the foreign nationals acquired genuine source documents such as the birth certificates from the Births and Deaths registry, Ghana Cards from the National Identification Authority and voter ID cards from the Electoral Commission with the assistance of their local collaborators.
He said the source documents were presented to the Immigration Service as proof of citizenship for the acquisition of Ghanaian passport.
“Such actions go a long way not only to dent the image of the country among the comity of nations but also to erode the integrity of such documents”, he said.
The Times says that the Black Stars Head Coach, Charles Kwabla Akonnor would be aiming for a positive start to Ghana’s World Cup qualifying campaign when his side line-up against the Walia Ibex of Ethiopia in the first round games of the FIFA 2022 Qatar World Cup qualifiers today at the Cape Coast Stadium.
On the back of Ghana’s dismissive friendly outings against Morocco in Rabat, where they lost 1-0 and an improved outing against Cote d’Ivoire in a goalless affair at the Cape Coast, Akonnor needs a win to restore confidence in his mandate as a tactician that can lead Ghana to its fourth World Cup appearance in Qatar next year, having missed football’s biggest competition in 2018.
The ex-Stars captain is wary a win may not be enough in the demanding eyes of Ghanaians but an emphatic win complemented by a strong performance from his players.
Ghana’s failure to score in the two friendlies was hugely discussedwith Akonnor and Captain Andre Ayew both admitting that it was a cause of grave concern that needed an immediate purge.
Since ‘rock star’ striker and forward Asamoah Gyan, a reliable goal monger for the team went past his prime, the Stars have struggled for a dependable replacement.
Crystal Palace targetman, Jordan Ayew showed flashes of brilliance for a while but his inconsistent goal scoring habit has left Akonnor needing a dependable hitman, Caleb Ekubanand China-based Emmanuel Boatengto bang in the goals.
GIK/APA