Koforidua and Akropong Residents disregard safety protocols on COVID-19 - Regional Minister

The Eastern Regional Minister, Honourable Seth Kwame Acheampong, has called on leaders of Faith-Based Organizations, Traditional authorities, Market Queens, and Transport Organizations to intensify sensitization of its members on the COVID -19 protocols.

He also charged the security personnel to enforce the laws governing protocols on the pandemic to the latter to reduce the spread.

Honourable Seth Kwame Acheampong was speaking at a Public Health Emergency Management Committee meeting on COVID -19 at the Eastern Regional Coordinating Council, Koforidua, on Tuesday,  August 10, 2021.

According to him, the meeting was necessary following the current upsurge of the COVID-19 Delta Variant, causing more hospitalization and deaths in the country.

He added that the region has had some spots of infection especially in some Senior High Schools in the Kwahu West Municipality; and as such, there was the need for all to come on board and share ideas for the benefit of the region.

The Minister expressed concern about nightlife activities in Koforidua and Akropong, where people disregard the safety protocols on COVID-19 as if the virus was not in existence.

The Eastern Regional Director of Ghana Health Service, Dr Winfred Ofosu, stated that there have been a lot of meetings on surveillance and contact tracing, but added that the challenge is that many people in the region are not observing the safety protocols.

He pointed out that vaccination has not been carried out by all in the region. For that reason, it is essential to observe the COVID-19 safety protocols to minimize the rate of transmission and infection.

In a presentation, Dr John Ekow Otoo, the Deputy Director of Public Health opined that the Eastern Region has recorded 2,555 positive cases this year with a total of 191 active cases, the case fatality was 2.1% and the age ranged from 29-94 years.  He indicated that more health workers and students have been infected and the hospitals did not have enough quarantine facilities, thus, isolation was done in the homes.

He mentioned some challenges of the regional health administration in fighting the menace: lack of logistics to manage COVID 19 cases, non-adherence to COVID 19 safety protocols in the communities, feeding of positive persons in isolation centres, access to an ambulance to refer COVID 19 positive cases, lack of space in communities for isolation and quarantine of cases, toiletries, lack of ventilators among others.

Dr John Ekow Otoo gave out some measures to solve the situation; security agencies should support the enforcement of mask-wearing, the national ambulance should delegate ambulances for COVID 19 cases, Regional Coordinating Council should make available PPEs as well as tablets for data management and other logistics such as sample kits, equipment, ventilators, etc.

The entire members of the committee unanimously suggested periodic fumigation of public places, sensitization programs, and enforcement of the COVID-19 safety protocols as important measures to stop the spread of the Delta Variant.

William Ofori Akwaboa, Eastern Regional Correspondent