Ghana will need $180m to procure COVID-19 vaccines - World Bank
The estimate is based on the World Bank Health Organisation (WHO) protocol, which requires that countries vaccinate a minimum of 60 per cent of their populations
Jonas Danquah 
Ghana will need a minimum of $180 million to procure COVID-19 vaccines for 60 per cent of its population, the World Bank has said.
The Country Director of the World Bank Mr Pierre Frank Laporte told the Daily Graphic that the bank was willing and ready to provide the amount for the government by April this year when an official request was made.
He, however, said the amount could be change when formal negotiations began.
Even before the commencement of formal negotiations between the government and the World Bank, the Minister- designate for Health, Mr Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, last Wednesday disclosed that government has ordered for 355,000 AstraZeneca vaccines from Europe, which he said will be available by the middle of March this year.
Mr Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, who appeared before the Appointments Committee of Parliament (ACP), said, the government has made arrangement to cover more than 20 million Ghanaians.
He said the government is getting financial support from COVAX, a global alliance of government and vaccine producers, and the African Union (AU).
