The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has called on the National Identification Authority (NIA) to immediately suspend its ongoing mass registration exercise in the Eastern Region in the wake of covid-19 outbreak in the country.

In a press statement signed and issued on Wednesday, March 18, 2020 by the President of the GMA, Dr Frank Ankobea, and the General Secretary, Dr Justice Yankson, the GMA said, in order to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease, it was in the interest of public health and safety to suspend the exercise.

It said the "mass registration exercise also defeats the spirit and letter of the directives (especially on mass gathering) issued by His Excellency the President of the Republic ofGhana as part of the measures to combat the COVID-19 outbreak in the country".

"It is the considered view of the GMA that this mass registration activity by the NIA, if allowed to continue, could create a fertile ground for potential spread of COVID-19, endangering the lives of the staff of the NIA, the communities involved and the entire nation in the process. This will undoubtedly be fatal for the country," the GMA added.

The GMA urged the government to begin enforcement of self-isolation of all Ghanaian citizens and residents returning into Ghana from countries with high disease burden of COVID-19 in accordance with the self-isolation guidelines as issued by the Ghana Health Service (GHS).

The GMA also calls on all Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and Corporate Ghana to complement the government's efforts at combating COVID-19 in the country.

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Full Statement Below:

CONTAINMENT OF COVID-19 OUTBREAK IN GHANA

The Ghana Medical Association (GMA), having continuously monitored the country's preparations and activities to contain the COVID-19 outbreak in Ghana, hereby states as follows:

1 That in the interest of public health and safety, the GMA calls on the National Identification Authority (NIA) to suspend with immediate effect the ongoing mass registration exercise in the Eastern Region.

This mass registration exercise also defeats the spirit and letter of the directives (especially on mass gathering) issued by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Ghana as part of the measures to combat the COVID-19 outbreak in the country

It is the considered view of the GMA that this mass registration activity by the NIA, if allowed to continue, could create a fertile ground for potential spread of COVID-19, endangering the lives of the staff of the NIA, the communities involved and the entire nation in the process. This will undoubtedly be fatal for the country.

2 The government is also urged to begin enforcement of self-isolation of all Ghanaian citizens and residents returning into Ghana from countries with high disease burden of COVID-19 in accordance with the self-isolation guidelines as issued by the Ghana Health Service (GHS).

3 The GMA also calls on all Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and Corporate Ghana to complement the government's efforts at combating COVID-19 in the country.

Thank you.