Government Should Reconsider Recall Of Retired Doctors And Engage More Young Professionals

The NDC Proforum-USA is monitoring events back home and wishes to add its voice to the President’s acknowledgment to the sacrifices of frontline professionals currently managing the crises in Ghana. However, we besiege the President to reconsider engaging retired health professionals in this fight.

On the global scale, the age of patients in hospitals is substantially older with an average of 67 and especially in Italy, the high death toll is partly due to an aging population. According to reports, Italy no longer helps patients of Covid-19 above 60 years.

In Ghana, a Senior Research Scientist at the KNUST, Dr. Michael Owusu has warned we stand a potential risk of losing about 1.4 million of our aged population if the transmission of the coronavirus is not contained. Ghana cannot afford to make heroes out of our old folks.

The Proforum-USA calls on the government to also engage local researchers from our various academic institutions to better understand the global dynamics. We agree we need to pray but we also need to engage the God-given brains to overcome our present challenges.

The assurance Ghanaians need at these trying times is a credible data/numbers and preparedness of qualified health professionals in their prime currently, and those new ones that could be engaged to fight the pandemic and further maintained to strengthen health delivery in Ghana.

It was observed during the ‘Update 3’ broadcast that, at this critical moment the President gives an account of what he has been told by his sources. Yes, we do agree that there are appointees responsible for various tasks, but he should be seen to be the leader and take responsibility of all the reports given him and update Ghanaians as a leader of the team.

As we #SpreadCalmAndNotPanic, citizens have the right to know the implications of the pandemic daily from the viewpoint of the President to reduce anxiety.

The leadership of the NDC Proforum-USA is of the view that announcing the expected arrival of test kits alone is not enough. Other countries are augmenting their equipment such as respiratory machines; what is Ghana doing that we do not know?

The government should by now know that health services globally are facing shortages due to the rapid and unexpected nature of the novel coronavirus outbreak are we up to the task to reduce fatalities? Ghana has recorded 2 deaths with 27 confirmed cases and yet to record any recoveries.

Citizens also have the right to know the availability of essential commodities and for how long those supplies can support the population. The socio-economic structures back home may not support a ‘lockdown’, but we have the right to know why there cannot be a lockdown.

The Proforum-USA urges all Ghanaians to #SpreadCalmAndNotPanic and adheres to strict personal protection and that of our families and our communities.

We further emphasize that the government takes the necessary steps to protect our aged population to avert the Italy situation in Ghana.

God bless our homeland Ghana and help us to survive Covid-19.

Signed

Arnold Appiah

President