OneGhana Movement a thought inclined non-profit organisation has, in a press statement, outlined some measures to compliment government’s efforts to stay ready to fight the deadly Coronavirus.
The press statement signed by the acting Executive Director of the organisation, Emily Nyuur, acknowledged government’s efforts but urged it to do more to ensure the disease does not spread to Ghana.
The full statement read:
“THE SPREADING CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK: HOW READY IS GHANA?
The discovery of the deadly coronavirus in Nigeria has heightened the stakes for Ghana to do all it can to prepare to combat the disease in the likely event that it enters the country.
The OneGhana Movement, however, notes with concern that there remain low levels of official information on the extent of Ghana’s preparedness to deal with the potential spread of the virus to the country.
The failure to ratchet-up interventions in the face of the likely spread could have dire consequences for the healthcare system and infrastructure should Ghana experience any outbreak in the country.
While the OneGhana Movement acknowledges measures put in place including the dedicated 24-hour hotline service of the Ministry of Health/ Ghana Health Service and the designation of Tema General Hospital
and Accra Regional Hospital as Covid – 19 quarantine and management centres; the movement will stress the inadequacy of these in the meantime to deal with any potential outbreak and the psycho-social challenges that could be posed by the myths and fears surrounding the disease.
Anticipatory interventions should of necessity address issues of infrastructure, strategy, personnel, mobilisation and education. It is in light of these that we recommend as follows
- An Inter-Ministerial (Aviation, Health, Education, National Security) management to work a functional nexus to coordinate, manage, and control a possible national outbreak.
- A comprehensive national Covid – 19 Awareness program to sensitize and help prepare the population psychologically.
- An enhanced preparedness of designated Covid-19 detention and management centres.
- An enhanced readiness of diagnostic centres including the Noguchi Memorial Institute.
- Training and re-tooling of more health personnel for Covid – 19 combat and control in preparation of a possible spread to Ghana.
- Anticipatory stocking of Covid – 19 management and control kits, particularly as the global situation signifies acute shortages in many of the affected locations.
- An official announcement by government detailing its responses and measures to the foregoing.
The OneGhana Movement wishes to call upon the Government of Ghana as well as the relevant Health authorities to marshal required resources as a matter of urgency.
We also urge the government to get the nation together in preparedness and proactive readiness so as to forestall or minimise loss of life in the event of a Covid – 19 spread to Ghana.
The movement reiterates its confidence in the ability of the government to lead in these uncertain times of global public health emergency.
OneGhana, Honour the Pledge!”
