C/R: Four Cops Treated For COVID-19; Two Discharged

Police in the Central Region have confirmed that six of its officers and two Community Protection Assistants tested positive for COVID -19.

According to the Regional Police Command, officers contracted the disease after taking part in some risky COVID -19-related operations.

“I can say six Police Personnel and two Community Protection Assistants have tested positive for COVID -19 and as we speak now two have been discharged but we now have four Police Personnel and two Community Protection Assistants receiving the best of care. The Director-General in charge of welfare is proving for all their welfare need and the Personnel are in high spirits despite being frontline workers,” the Regional Police Commander COP, Paul Manly Awini told Citi News.

“All of them got infected after a high-risk COVID -19 operation because we can trace it. Immediately after the high-risk COVID -19 operation they were tested and some of the cases came up first in Kasoa then after the lockdown operation in Moree and others,” the Central Regional Police Commander said.

Speaking to Citi News at the launch of Zoomlion’s disinfection of Police facilities in the Central Region, Regional Police Commander COP Paul Manly Awini indicated that two of the officers have been discharged.

The Regional Police Commander believes the disinfection exercise will make Police facilities across the region safer to use. He explained that a total of 104 police facilities will be disinfected in the region.

“Government has made several interventions to contain the spread of COVID-19 and one of such interventions is what we are seeing today. The Inspector-General of Police and his Management Board Members teamed up with the management of Zoomlion Ghana Limited to make sure that this exercise becomes feasible. Several Divisional, District facilities are going to be disinfected stating from the Regional Police Command,” COP Manly Awini said.

He indicated that since the Ghana Police Service works very closely with people who fall breach of the law they need this disinfection to ensure that all members of the public who fall foul of the law and are brought to the Police station, do not contract coronavirus.

“The essence of the exercise is far-reaching and all personnel of the Police in the region must corporate with them,” COP Manly Awini said.

Central Regional Minister Kwamina Duncan expressed worry with the contact tracing in the coastal communities.

According to him, individuals who have come into contact with COVID -19 patients are not ready to allow themselves to be quarantined, adding that opinion leaders and town folks ignorantly jump to the defence of these individuals.

“We have had to follow up with contact tracing, and for those who have been contact-traced, it is difficult to get them and put them into quarantine centres. Unfortunately for some of the coastal towns we have individuals who rise up to support them and this is disturbing,” the Regional Minister said.

He indicated that constant engagement with the community folks is the only way to change the status quo.

“In fact on two occasions I had to discharge my deputy together with the Regional Police Commander but they still proved adamant and I had to go in to do a social distance public durbar where I brought insisted that anyone who has been contact-traced must make themselves available. Beyond that, we are yet to encounter any difficulties now,” Kwamina Duncan said.

---citinewsroom