Reconstitute COVID-19 team — Juaboso MP

The National Democratic Congress Member of Parliament for Juaboso, Mr Kwabena Minta Akandoh , has called on the government to constitute a multidisciplinary and non-partisan Technical Advisory Team on COVID-19 to bolster the fight against the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

He also called on the government to release enough funds to regional and district health teams to enhance contact tracing and case testing and pay all monies promised health workers.

“As a matter of urgency, the government must expand more management facilities and build capacity to handle the many severe cases that are likely to be confirmed.

“Schools should be adequately resourced and supported to make the environment safe from Covid-19,” he added.

Press conference

Mr Akandoh, who made the call at a press conference in Accra yesterday, expressed concern about the increase in COVID-19 cases in the country.

“Evidence on the ground now points to increased cross infections among COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients and caregivers due to overcrowding at health facilities. Long delays in the delivery of test results is also putting patients and caregivers at risk of infection,” he said.

He claimed that the government’s unwillingness to engage contact tracers and reneging on its promise to pay some frontline healthcare professionals the 50 per cent allowances, as well as the insurance packages for those who got infected were contributory factors to the increase in cases.

Mr Akandoh also mentioned the failure by the government to ensure adequate provision of personal protective equipment to basic and senior high school prior to their reopening, inability to adequately use COVID-19 donations to support frontline health workers as other risk factors for spread of the pandemic.