COVID-19: "We won’t give any information relating to patients. We will give out the numbers" - Ashanti Regional Health Director
He also warned that medicals practitioners have no clue of the virus comportment therefore, the best way to avoid the disease is adopt the various health preventive measures
soireenews 
The Ashanti Regional Health Director, Mr. Emmanuel Tenkorang has publicized that information associated with COVID-19 patients will be ceased from been shared to the media for the sake of fabricated stories produces along which creates fear and panic among Ghanaians attributing that the communication aspect of the disease is principally handled by the Ministry of information.
He deeply urged Ghanaians to seriously abide by the preventive measures put in place to limit the spread of the COVID-19 disease given that, the cases recorded has three patients who have no travel history.
“From now on we won’t give you any information relating to any patient at all. We will tell you the numbers we have. We won’t disclose where they are coming from because they are not imported. These are Ghanaians living in the country with cases.
Every aspect of communication surrounding COVID-19 is hadled by the Ministry of Information but for a certain reason, press conferences are held to makes sure that informations are well packaged and in the right context to avoid unnecessary speculation.
“We will test those who will meet the case definition. If you call to tell us that someone hiding in your house needs testing, we will not do it unless she falls under the case definition,” he said.
Ghana has recorded 16 cases within nine days and among them are three people who were infected without crossing borders. He warned that medicals practitioners have no clue of the virus comportment therefore, the best way to avoid the disease is adopt the various health preventive measures and the directives relayed by the president of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa-Akufo-Addo.
READ ALSO:
COVID-19: Ghana's cases rise to 16 as it records additional five on Friday
“The case that was recorded in Ashanti Region, one has no travel history and three cases in the capital likewise. That means that you can still be in this country and get infected. That is one area that we would want you to understand.
“We are not going to make any assumptions. This is a new strain and we don’t know the behavior of the virus. We don’t want anyone to be complacent. Despite the high temperature in Ghana, people are getting the virus and all that we want you to do is adherer by the principles and support us to make sure that the president’s directives are attended to," he added.
Mr. Tenkorang pleaded to the media to help the Health Directorate resolve media fabrications surrounding COVID-19. Reporting the day-to-day updates at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital on Friday, March 20, 2020, the Ashanti Regional Health Director dismissed the various foul methods employed by people to eradicate the virus. He exposed that there is and would be no vaccine to heal affected patients in the next one year due to processes for the preparation.
“It will take a year to come out with a vaccine because you have to try it on so many people before a refined one can be confirmed. The number of cases is going up and we are in a battle. Let us fight together and let the medical system to work through confidentiality.
He updated that the number of the cases must rise before it declines therefore in the quest to communicate, the Health directorate won’t do anything that will affect the way of managing the disease.
“The cases are going up and to be very sincere with you, they must rise before declining. Don’t be scared if you see the numbers rise. The most important thing is to adhere by the simple principles that we keep on talking. Moreover, this is the area we want the media to support us that is the risk communication.
“Last week we had a case in Kumasi and they were so recalcitrant that they won’t hear what the president was saying. Together with the Regional Minister, we have decided that failure to adhere by the principles, the rules would be applied. All that we are doing is for your own interest. We want you to be alive,” he ended.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Komfo Anokye Hospital, Oheneba Owusu Danso asserted that whatever information has not been officially communicated is fabricated, educating that in case of disease management, it is not very different from what people do in their day-to-day exercise. He explained that the only difference currently is that reportable cases described by the ministry goes through a chain of command before the cases are clearly outdoored to the public and media.
He disclosed that in such an era of difficult, anyone who becomes a patient has his or her individual right that must be preserved hence the need for the media to have a self-esteemed attitude towards.
