The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has intensified efforts to contain the spread of yellow fever in the Upper West Region, launching a five-day reactive vaccination campaign targeting approximately 244,869 people across three districts.
The exercise, which commenced on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, is expected to conclude on Sunday, October 18, and covers the Wa West, Sissala East and Sissala West districts.
The campaign forms part of concerted public health interventions aimed at curtailing the outbreak, strengthening population immunity and protecting eligible residents against the potentially life-threatening viral disease.
Under the initiative, individuals aged nine months to 60 years are being targeted for vaccination, with health authorities urging residents to take advantage of the exercise to safeguard themselves and their communities against infection.
To maximise coverage and facilitate equitable access to vaccination services, the Ghana Health Service has deployed trained health personnel to health facilities and established temporary vaccination centres at strategic public locations.
The designated vaccination points include markets, bus stations, churches, mosques, schools and other public spaces, enabling residents to access immunisation services conveniently.
Mobile vaccination teams have also been deployed to settlements, towns and villages throughout the three districts to reach eligible individuals, particularly those in remote communities who may face challenges accessing conventional health facilities.
The deployment strategy is intended to broaden the campaign’s reach and ensure that eligible residents are not excluded from the exercise because of geographical or accessibility constraints.
As part of the campaign, individuals vaccinated are being issued yellow vaccination cards as official proof of immunisation. Residents have been advised to keep the cards safely, as they may be required when accessing healthcare services, enrolling in educational institutions or undertaking international travel.
Yellow fever is a mosquito-borne viral disease that can cause severe illness and, in some cases, death. Vaccination remains the most effective means of preventing the disease and controlling outbreaks.
A single dose of the yellow fever vaccine generally provides lifelong protection, making immunisation a crucial public health intervention in efforts to prevent infections and interrupt transmission.
The Ghana Health Service has consequently called on all eligible persons residing in Wa West, Sissala East and Sissala West to participate fully in the vaccination exercise before it concludes on Sunday, October 18.
The Service has emphasised that widespread public participation will be essential to achieving the campaign’s target, containing the outbreak and mitigating the risk of further transmission within the affected communities.
With approximately 244,869 people expected to be reached, the five-day exercise represents an intensified public health response aimed at bolstering community protection and safeguarding the well-being of residents across the three districts.
Eligible residents have therefore been encouraged to visit designated vaccination centres or cooperate with mobile vaccination teams to ensure the successful implementation of the campaign.