Ghana Red Cross Society receives $150,000 from Coca-Cola for vaccination campaign

The Coca-Cola Foundation, through its “Stop-The-Spread” Fund, has donated $150,000 to the Ghana Red Cross Society (GRCS) to help them undertake a national COVID-19 vaccination awareness campaign.

The support forms part of the Foundation’s grant to the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent in its multi-country action plan to curb the impact and spread of COVID-19 in Africa.

Mr Kwame Gyimah-Akwafo, President of Ghana Red Cross Society, receiving the donation, said it would facilitate their COVID-19 prevention campaigns to reduce transmission of the virus.

He said they planned to reach six million people under their countrywide vaccination plan with vaccination messages, including vaccine hesitancy.

He stressed that the activities would be carried out in remote areas where access to information was limited.

“The Ghana Red Cross Society will use its unparalleled access to communities to access hard-to-reach areas for registration of eligible people and support the delivery of vaccines. This action will also support health facilities to open new outreach services to reach last mile communities as needed,” he added.

Mr Gyimah-Akwafo said they had been involved in risk communication and social mobilization activities since the outbreak of the disease, ensuring vaccines reach the most vulnerable and communities had accurate information and tools to protect themselves.

Mr Philip Boadu Assah, Senior Franchise Manager, Coca-Cola Equatorial Africa Territories, said it was everyone’s responsibility to ensure the advancement and awareness of vaccination efforts throughout the country to eradicate the pandemic for a better shared future.

He said the Foundation believed that it could count on GRCS to carry out large-scale actions in the field with the support of the local health authorities for an effective fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Indeed, this donation will allow Ghana red Cross Society to carry out awareness-raising activities and vaccination campaigns for the benefit of population throughout our country,” he added.