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Ban Visits To Prisons And Borstal Homes To Stem Spread Of COVID-19 - GRASAG

Health Mr. Raphael Apetorgbor
MAR 29, 2020 LISTEN
Mr. Raphael Apetorgbor

The Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) chapter of Graduate Students’ Association of Ghana (GRASAG), has entreated government to suspend visits by family and friends to prisons and the senior correctional centre until the corona virus (CONVID-19) pandemic is eradicated.

This, it said would stem the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak in the country.

“Government should ban the visit by family and friends to our borstal home and prisons across the country to minimize face-to-face contact to curtail the spread of the virus," Mr. Raphael Apetorgbor, President of GRASAG –GIMPA said in Accra.

He said government should provide protective equipment such as masks, infra-red thermometer, gloves and hand sanitizers to prison wardens to safeguard their health and that of the prisoners.

He added that soaps and detergents should also be provided to prisoners and hand washing points should be set- up at the prison.

According to Mr. Apetorgbor, regular screening and surveillance should be conducted to make sure prisoners stay in their block to avoid unnecessary movement.

“We implored prison wardens to encourage inmates to notify medical staff as early as possible if they experience symptoms of infection to enable the affected individual to be quarantine and treated by the health officials,” he said.

Mr. Apetorgbor also urged caregivers at children homes to restrict access to visitors in order to protect the children.

“Managers at children homes across the country must adher strictly to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ministry of Health’s preventive measures to protect the children from the pandemic. They must ensure that the children's wash their hands regularly and avoid body contacts as much as possible” he said.

Ghana has so far recorded 152 cases of COVID-19 with five deaths.

Meanwhile, President Nana Akufo Addo has granted amnesty to 808 prisoners upon the recommendation of the Prisons Service Council and in consultation with the Council of State in accordance with Article 72(1) of the 1992 constitution.

Eric Joe Ayivi
Eric Joe Ayivi

News ContributorPage: EricJoeAyivi

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