COVID-19: Don’t Dare Lift Ban On Public Gatherings Now – Laboratory Scientists To Govt

The Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists (GAMLS) is advising the Akufo-Addo government against lifting the ban on public gatherings given the increasing number of Coronavirus infections in the country.

It says considering the non-compliance to the prescribed precautionary measures such as social distancing and wearing of face masks, the ban must be maintained and strictly be enforced.

The association is also among other things, asking the government to as a matter of urgency, begin mass testing as well as expand its current test capacity in order to stop the spread of COVID-19 in Ghana.

“GAMLS having assessed the increasing number of infections being reported by the GHS and the lack of adherence to the preventive measures prescribed by the Ministry of Health, states that there should not be the total lifting of the ban on social gathering as already in place. The measures in place should be enforced strictly”, the association said in a statement.

Portions of the release also noted that “testing will immediately be expanded to at least each region, if not to all district capitals, to enable prompt testing of patients for treatment and management. Specifically, the procurement of cartridges to use the GeneXpert (TB analyzer for COVID-19 testing) should be facilitated. That mass testing is initiated across the country to be able to ascertain the true burden of the disease in Ghana. This is the surest way to be sure of winning the battle against the pandemic.”

Additionally, the laboratory scientists are advocating for the continued closure of the country’s borders until such a time when the rate of infection has been brought under its utmost control.

“The borders of Ghana should remain closed until the daily infectivity rate of the virus begins to fall and all alternative measures are put in place.”

More of its demands include the “provision of the required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for routine use and COVID-19 patient testing for medical laboratory professionals and all health workers.”

Meanwhile, the group has encouraged the citizenry to respect the directives put forward by the President and strictly maintain good personal hygiene practices.

Despite assurances that the country's COVID-19 cases had peaked and ready to decline, on Friday, May 8, 2020, the cases jumped from 3,091 to 4,012.

On Saturday, May 9, 2020, the Ghana Health Service also announced that the cases had gone up further by 251 pushing the current total figure to 4,263.

The death count has shot up to 22. The recoveries have also gone up and now at 378.

The government has already placed a ban on all public gatherings including conferences, workshops, funerals, festivals, political rallies, church and Islamic activities, and other related events in a bid to curb the spread of the novel Coronavirus in the country.

The ban, which is in its eighth week, was initially set for one month by the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo but was subsequently extended by another two weeks which will expire on Monday, May 11, 2020.

—citinewsroom