Make COVID-19 test free – Ghana Medical Association

Make COVID-19 test free – Ghana Medical Association

The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has urged the government to step up testing to deal with the rising number of COVID-19 cases in Ghana.

The GMA in a press release dated January 14, 2020, said that testing “should be made free or relatively cheaper for the ordinary Ghanaian who needs testing due to direct exposure or when it is symptomatic of COVID-19 “

The GMA also wants the government to implement free mass testing in all identified COVID-19 hotspots, providing healthcare workers with adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) to help reduce COVID-19 infections among health workers.

“The GMA believes this will help address the current gaps in our testing and contact tracing regimes,” the statement said.

Ghana’s active COVID-19 cases, which were below 800 before Christmas, jumped to 1,420 as of January 11, 2021.

Alarming situation of COVID-19

Describing the current COVID-19 situation in the country as “alarming and disastrous”, the GMA said there was also a risk of an exponential increase in the number of cases.

The Association mentioned that the main health facilities located in the capital and involved in the management of COVID-19 cases are currently overloaded.

The GMA attributed the increase in cases to complete non-compliance and lack of enforcement of COVID_19 prevention protocols as well as importation of cases via travelers from other countries.

“The COVID-19 situation in the country is alarming and dire at this particular time. The risk of a potential exponential increase in the number of cases cannot be ruled out.

“The various large health establishments (in particular in the metropolis of Accra) involved in the care of patients with moderate, severe and seriously ill COVID-19 are overloaded”.

Read the entire statement below;