The government has said that it is open to discussions with the Society of Private Medical and Dental Practitioners over concerns they have raised about the country’s management of COVID-19 cases.
According to President Akufo-Addo’s Advisor on Health, Dr. Anthony Nsiah Asare, the appropriate agencies are available to discuss the issues and come to a proper resolution.
The Society for Medical and Dental Practitioners in a statement on Wednesday [July 15] questioned some of the government’s decisions in the management of the COVID-19 situation.
Among other things, they lamented the breakdown of safety protocols and an explosion of cases in the country.
The Society said the government must urgently accredit or open up more testing centres, prepare oxygen production plants and provide PPE to their members.
But Dr. Nsiah Asare on Eyewitness News said the Society can make their issues known to the Regional Directorate or National Headquarters of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) and even the COVID-19 Secretariat to have them addressed.
“We are open to having discussions with anybody. If my colleagues, the society of private practitioners have any issues, our offices are open, they should come and sit with us. We will look at it and solve it.”
“The Regional Directorate is there, the National Headquarters of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) is there and the COVID-19 Secretariat is there as well so I will encourage them to come and meet us. This fight against COVID-19 is a fight for everybody, not any specific person whether private or public so if anyone has a concern they should come so we fight it together,” he said.
The medical practitioners cited among things, issues such as the shortage in Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), delays in testing time and the inadequacy of testing laboratories which have not yet been completely addressed raise serious doubt about the government’s commitment to reducing the rate of infections in the population.
They are also demanding expedited steps to improve the country’s COVID-19 case management and response.
“The government must reserve its apparent position that the Ghanaian populace does not react adversely to the virus and must apply all needed protocols to limit the spread of the deadly virus. This must be rescinded publicly. In the light of the rising death rate, we the members of the Society of Private Medical and Dental Practitioners, wish to register our dismay over the national response to the management of the COVID-19 pandemic”, parts of their statement read.
Additionally, they also raised concerns over the increasing number of cases, deaths and the high rate of infections among health workers.
Meanwhile, they have asked the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the Health Ministry to restrategize the approach to dealing with the pandemic in order not to put the lives of the ordinary Ghanaian in danger.
Regional breakdown
Greater Accra Region – 13,986
Ashanti Region – 5,277
Western Region – 2,190
Central Region – 1,131
Eastern Region – 962
Volta Region – 441
Upper East Region – 282
Northern Region – 271
Bono East Region – 206
Western North Region – 200
Oti Region – 138
Bono Region – 107
Ahafo Region – 103
Upper West Region – 70
Savannah Region – 57
North East Region – 9
Source: citinewsroom
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