TIG Post

Tag: coronavirus in Ghana

  • COVID-19 kills 10 more; death toll hits 95

    Ten more people have died from the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, bringing the death toll to 95.

    The Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, provided the latest statistics.

    According to him, a total of 414 new cases were also reported from 25 districts and three regions across the country.

    “We have, so far, following the review, recorded 95 deaths. Currently, we have 24 severe cases across the country and six cases are critical and five persons are currently on ventilators. We have a total of 414 new cases reported from 25 districts across the country and three regions. Which is that about 13 regions did not record any new case yesterday,” Dr Kuma-Aboagye said at a press briefing on Tuesday, June 23, 2020.

    The Greater Accra Region topped the list of new cases with 332 COVID-19 infections from nine different districts.

    Ashanti Region came second with 55 cases recorded in 12 districts and the Eastern Region placed third with 27 cases in three districts.

    13 regions did not record new cases.

    Source: theghanareport.com

  • Coronavirus: Ghanaian community, footballers in Kuwait wants to be airlifted by government

    Stephen Anokye Badu, a former defender of Ghana Premier League (GPL) Aduana Stars has made a passionate appeal to the government to intervene to airlift Ghanaians based in Kuwait and Iraq to Ghana, following the untold hardship the COVID 19 pandemic has brought on them.

    “Many of us are facing hardship and struggling to live our normal daily lives” following the imposition of coronavirus restrictions in that country.

    He said the Iraq government this year had airlifted some 245 Ghanaian nationals back to their home country as, part of their annual programme to return foreigners, but with the outbreak of the virus and subsequent lockdown some of them who were encountering difficulties never got that chance.

    “These also involved those whose documents have expired and wanted to renew them, or in one way or the other were facing hardship and challenges regarding their stay in that country,” he added.

    Anokye Badu popularly known as ‘Atronie’ who spoke on behalf of the group told the Ghana News Agency(GNA) in an interview that the restrictions had halted business activities and all sporting events making many Ghanaians to lose their jobs and businesses.

    “Personally, due to the biting effects of the lockdown in that country, I have made an effort by calling Ghana’s Ambassador in that country and have held discussions with him over the matter. He asked me to contact a woman who works at the Airport for assistance.

    “When I called, the person told me unless they get a total of 150 Ghanaians who want to return, they will not get a plane for us. She didn’t get the 150 people she needed so we are still locked up,” he stated.

    The former Aduana Star’s player indicated that following the expiration and termination of his 10 – month contract with his Tadamon Sporting Club last month, officials of the Club withdrew all contract obligations including payment of rent charges.

    “They paid my apartment rent charges up to last month when my contract ended and have made it clear to me that they won’t continue with the payment. I should take that burden up for myself. But the situation is very difficult for me here. We are locked down, and i don’t do any work to earn extra money to pay rent charges.

    “I just want to return home,” he stated.

    I can’t survive with the little money on me now that my contract has ended. And we don’t know when exactly restrictions will be lifted too,” he remarked.

    He expressed grave concern about the way the Ghana Embassy in Kuwait had handled the issue and appealed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to act quickly and respond to their distress call, adding that things were getting worse by the day.

    On his future plans, he said he would be willing to play outside Ghana if the COVID 19 situation normalises but ready to join the local league as well.

    Disclaimer : “Opinions expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author(s) and do not in any way reflect those of backend.theindependentghana.com. Our outfit will hereby not be liable for any inaccuracies contained in this article.”

    Source: GNA

  • Ghanaians urged not to allow coronavirus overshadow their activities

    Ghanaians have been urged not to allow the fear of the coronavirus pandemic to overshadow their daily activities.

    Mr Musah Abubakar, Chairman of the Muslim Executive Foundation (MEF), an NGO dedicated to the promotion of the welfare of the Muslim community, who made the call, said most people are afraid to even go out because of the virus.

    According to him, there was overall fear and panic in the atmosphere that, some people were afraid to even go to the hospital to treat themselves.

    Speaking to the Ghana News Agency in Kumasi, he said though the virus was real and people should not doubt its existence, life must also go on.

    “What is important is for the people to take precautionary measures and adhere to all the preventive and restrictive protocols outlined by the government to stay safe”, he told the GNA.

    Mr Abubakar attributed the heightened fear of the virus to the exaggeration, misconception, and myths, which were at times reinforced in the media and said it was creating a form of mentality for the people.

    He said people must continue to receive education on the virus and take the necessary precautionary measures to prevent themselves from being infected with the virus.

     

    Source: GNA

  • Brother of late Kwadaso SDA Hospital doctor also dies of coronavirus

    Biological brother of the Kwadaso SDA Hospital Medical Doctor who died of COVID-19, is rumoured to have also died of the virus, on Sunday, June 21.

    The sad incident comes barely a week after it was confirmed his younger brother, Dr Harry Owusu Boateng, died of COVID-19.

    The 48-year-old Medical Doctor died at home on Saturday, June 13, 2020, few days after he complained of being unwell.

    Hon William Boateng, who is believed to have come into contact with his late brother in the previous weeks, died at a hospital in Kumasi in the early hours of Sunday, June 21, 2020, after being sent there for medical treatment.

    Until his shocking demise, Hon William Kwabena Boateng, served as the Presiding Member (PM) for the Oforikrom Municipal Assembly (OFMA) in the Ashanti Region.

    Agenda, as he was affectionately called, also doubled as the Assembly Member for the Ayigya-Ahenbronum Electoral Area in the Oforikrom Municipality.

    Hon William Boateng, who was described by many as one of the hard-working Assembly Members, was re-elected as PM at a colourful inaugural ceremony at the Oforikrom Assembly on January 23, 2020.

    His demise did not only come as a shock to the staff of OFMA and Assembly Members, but also to the entire Ayigya-Ahenbronum residents.

     

    Source: Ghana Guardian

  • Coronavirus: We will protect returning students Akufo-Addo

    The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has assured that the health status of all students returning to school from tomorrow will be prioritised.

    According to the President, instructors, teachers and all those required to play various roles with the return of students to schools have been provided with the necessary PPE to protect the safety of the students.

    However, the President urged parents to endeavor to support their wards with face masks as they return to school.

    Additionally, Akufo-Addo announced a historic move to shoulder the entire cost of the fee for the West Africa Secondary School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) for all final year candidates of Senior High Schools about to take the exams.

    The cost of this sponsorship amounts to GH¢75.4m and will cover over 300,000 candidates, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said in his latest address to the nation Sunday.

    Source: B&FT Online

  • Coronavirus: South Korea confirms second wave of infections

    Health officials in South Korea believe the country is going through a second wave of coronavirus, despite recording relatively low numbers.

    The country had been a success story in dealing with Covid-19, but now expects the pandemic to continue for months.

    Head of the Korea Centers for Disease Control (KCDC), Jung Eun-kyeong, said the first wave lasted up until April.

    Yet since May, clusters of new cases have grown, including outbreaks at nightclubs in the capital, Seoul.

    Between those periods, daily confirmed cases had fallen from nearly a thousand to zero infections recorded for three days in a row.

    Officials on Monday said that over the last 24 hours, 17 new infections had been recorded, from different clusters in large offices and warehouses.

    Dr Jeong said the recent resurgence had led her to conclude that the country was in the grip of a second wave of the virus, and that she expected it to continue.

    Until now, the KCDC had said that South Korea’s first wave had never really ended.

    But Dr Jeong said it was now clear that a holiday weekend in early May marked the beginning of a new wave of infections focused in the greater Seoul area, which had previously seen only a few cases.

    Earlier on Monday, the city of Daejeon, south of the capital, announced it would ban gatherings in public spaces such as museums and libraries after a number of small virus clusters were discovered.

    The mayor of Seoul also warned that the capital may have to return to strict social distancing, should cases top 30 on average over the next three days and the bed occupancy rate of the city’s hospitals exceeds 70%.

    South Korea has managed to avoid locking down the country and has instead relied on voluntary social distancing measures alongside an aggressive track, trace and test strategy to combat the virus.

    A total of 280 people have died since the country reported its first case on 20 January. Overall, more than 12,000 infections have been recorded and it is thought that currently there remain 1,277 active cases in the country.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Over 5,000 fraudulent applications received for coronavirus stimulus fund – NBSSI

    It has emerged that out of a total of 450,000 applications received from the public for the COVID-19 stimulus fund, 5,200 of them are from fraudsters.

    Executive Director of the National Board and Small Scale Industries(NBSSI), Kosi Yankey-Ayeh disclosed at a press conference in Accra on Friday, June 19, 2020, disclosed that applicants with fictitious data, documents and personal details were among those who applied for the special fund, set up by the government to cushion small and medium scale businesses from the impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

    The discovery has resulted in the extension of the deadline for applications, from June 20 to June 26, 2020, to enable it to address all fraud-related cases before the fund will be disbursed.

    “The online portal developed to receive applications has detected more than 5,200 fraud alerts representing multiple applications with same mobile money or bank account details.

    “For instance, we identified that one person registered for over 100 people in a community with the same documentation, mobile money contact or account number.

    “And so what we did was to engage the services of KPMG, a tax consulting firm, to do a data analysis of the applications to help make the right decisions,” she said.

    Mrs Kosi Yankey-Ayeh indicated that some of the fraud cases detected had been forwarded to security agencies for further investigations.

    Graphic.com.gh reports Mrs Yankey-Ayeh explained that apart from the fraudulent documentation, the extension of the deadline was also as a result of varied concerns raised by some trade and business associations asking for more time to enable some of their members to submit their applications.

    “We had to give all concerns careful thought to arrive at the six-day extension. The grace period presents an opportunity to rectify complaints and errors of applicants with wrong credentials recorded on the digitalised application portal,” she noted.
    As of Thursday, June 18, 2020, the executive director said the number of applications had exceeded 450,000, which were mainly made up of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

    Out of the number, however, about 75 percent had successfully completed their applications.

    Applicants who registered via mobile phones represented 58.8 per cent while the remaining 41.2 per cent did it directly on the web portal.

     

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Nigerian doctors call off nationwide strike

    Nigerian doctors have ended a nationwide strike that was called to protest against low pay and inadequate protective equipment.

    The National Association of Resident Doctors (Nard), which represents some 40% of Nigeria’s doctors, said it called off the strike to give the government time to act on its demands.

    The week-long strike ends on Monday morning, according to a statement quoted by local media. It had not affected medics treating coronavirus patients.

    The association said some hospitals had since been supplied with protective gear and the government had promised to provide more.

    It said the government had also promised to address their demand for better welfare for resident doctors.

    The association said resident doctors who had been disengaged at Jos University Teaching Hospital had been reinstated and the chief medical director directed to pay their withheld salaries.

    Source: bbc.com

  • Application deadline for GHC600m stimulus package extended by 6 days NBSSI

    The National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI) has extended the application deadline for the GHC600m stimulus package meant to support businesses due to the external shocks of COVID-19 by six days.

    The application which was supposed to have ended on Saturday, June 20 has now been moved to June 26.

    According to the Executive Director of NBSSI, Kosi Yankey-Aryeh, the decision was taken in consultation with the Coronavirus Alleviation Programme (CAP) Business Support Steering Committee to give businesses facing challenges more time to submit their applications.

    Speaking in an interview monitored by ABC News, Mrs. Yankey-Aryeh said the 6-day grace period would help rectify complaints and errors of applicants with wrong credentials recorded on the portal.

    Morevoer, the extension will provide eligible businesses the chance to acquire the Tax Identification Number (TIN) to complete their applications and allow for mop-up of paper applications from communities and rural areas with no internet for processing into the digitised system.

    To ensure the six-day extension is well utilised, she said the NBSSI has intensified collaboration with the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to facilitate TIN acquisition for applicants.

    “We are currently analysing the data to get a better understanding of the challenges,” Mrs Yankey-Aryeh said.

    More than 450,000 applicants; representing micro, small and medium enterprises, as of June 18 had registered on the programme of which 337,000 had successfully completed their applications.

    The NBSSI Executive Director indicated that applicants who registered via the USSD Code on the various mobile networks represent 58.8 percent while the remaining 41.2 percent registered directly on the portal. Also, 66 percent of those registered are females while the males represent 34 percent.

    She further revealed that they detected over 5,200 fraud alerts such as multiple applications with same mobile money or bank details.

    Source: abcnewsgh.com

  • Coronavirus: Government has supplied all our needs as schools reopen GNAT

    The National President of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Philipa Larson says the government has supplied all necessary safety materials as schools reopen in the wake of COVID-19.

    According to her, GNAT made specific demands before accepting to cooperate on the decision to reopen schools and the government has satisfied all those requirements.

    Senior High Schools are reopening for final year students and second-year Gold Track students from today.

    Some 800,000 students, teachers, and non-teaching staff are expected back in schools.

    Some have expressed concerns Ghana is not in the clear over COVID-19 and the reopen could spark a second wave of infections.

    Speaking to Francis Abban on the Morning Starr, the GNAT President said teachers are confident of the measures put in place to protect them and the students.

    “I must say that as I speak to you, everything we asked to be put in place has been done. By 9 am or 10 the schools will receive all the items we requested. Everything has been supplied because the president wants all the children to be protected,” she said.

    Meanwhile, President Akufo-Addo has assured that his government will protect the over 800, 000 final year Senior High School students who return to school on Monday, June 22, 2020.

    In an address to the Nation on Sunday, June 21, 2020, President Akufo-Addo stated that all Senior High Schools across the country have been fumigated and currently safe for students.

    He added that adequate PPE, hand sanitizer and Thermometer guns will be distributed to all schools to protect teachers and students.

    “My government is determined to protect the lives of the over 800 who will be returning to school tomorrow, I will be the last person to put their lives in danger.”

    The President, however, added that students and teachers must continue to observe social distancing, hand washing and observe all the health protocols.

     

    Source: Starr FM

  • Akufo-Addo explains why theres a spike in coronavirus recoveries

    President Akufo-Addo says Ghana is following the new World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines when it comes to discharging Covid-19 patients.

    Speaking at his 12th address to the nation on measures to control the virus, he explained that previously as long as patients continue to test positive, scientifically, they were capable of infecting others.

    Hence, the requirement for the two consecutive, negative tests before one is declared as having recovered.

    However, President Akufo-Addo said, the new evidence states that a Covid-19 patient with no symptoms after 10 to 14 days is unlikely to transmit the virus to others even though they continue to test positive.

    “After three weeks of analysing and studying this update and recommendation, and situating it in the Ghanaian context, in line with the admonition by WHO to Member States, this new patient discharge/recovery policy has now been adopted by Ghana, as have some countries in the European Union, Singapore, India, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and in Dubai.”

    That, according to the President, is the reason for the recent spike in coronavirus recoveries in the country.

    His statement comes a day after Ghana reported over 5000 recoveries bringing the national recovery total to 10,074.

    In a briefing at the Information Ministry on June 18, Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Patrick Aboagye also said that the initial WHO-recommended testing had its own associated challenges necessitating the need to look out for alternatives.

    “Initially, because the numbers were few, this was an adequate policy but with an increased number of cases, it brought to the fore some challenges.”

    Individuals had a minimum of three tests and according to the GHS, and the average time for testing negative twice was 14 days based on a sample of 146 cases.

    President Akufo Addo said that the health experts will continue to be informed by the evolving science and data to protect the people in the fight against coronavirus.

    He urged Ghanaians to desist from stigmatising recovered Covid-19 patients adding that “there is nothing shameful about contracting the virus, and, consequently, we do not have to lose our sense of community because of this pandemic.”

     

    Source: myjoyonline 

  • 200 Ghanaian domestic workers in Lebanon evacuated to Ghana

    At least 200 Ghanaian domestic workers from Lebanon have been evacuated to the capital, Accra.

    The evacuation, which was supervised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs followed a series of harrowing experiences shared by the Ghanaians from their hosts.

    Dailymailgh.com understands there are over 600 more Ghanaian domestic workers in Lebanon, who are appealing to officials to move them back to Ghana.

    According to Foreign Affairs officials, the condition of most of these Ghanaian domestic workers is heartbreaking hence the need to put in measures to move them back to Ghana.

    About two months ago, the Cairo Mission, which has Lebanon under its jurisdiction entered into dialogue through its Consulate in Beirut, with the Lebanese Government to obtain the release of these suffering young women from the clutches of their masters and mistresses, so they can freely return to their country.

    More than 600 Domestic workers have been registered to leave Lebanon. The mortal remains of two deceased workers are expected as cargo with this first batch of evacuees.

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through the Cairo Mission and a humanitarian NGO, IBONWORLD as partners, are preparing to evacuate another six hundred or so in the next four weeks, Dailymailgh.com can report.

    Source: Daily Mail

  • ‘God has interesting ways of teaching us lessons’ Fifi Kwetey on Health Ministers status

    President Akufo-Addo in his 11th address confirmed reports that Health Minister, had been infected with COVID-19 and was responding to treatment at the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC).

    “Let us also wish our hardworking Minister of Health, Mr Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, MP for Dormaa Central, a speedy recovery from the virus, which he contracted in the line of duty and is in stable condition,” the President said

    The 64-year-old minister was however released from hospital few days later.

    In a one-on-one discussion on Neat FM’s Me Man Nti programme, Member of Parliament for Ketu South, Fifi Fiavi Franklin Kwetey reacted to the Health Minister’s status.

    Listen to him in the video below

  • Coronavirus to severely hit global shrimp and salmon production

    The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has predicted that the COVID-19 pandemic will continue to heavily affect seafood markets, particularly fresh products and popular restaurant species this year.

    On the supply side, fishing fleets are laying idle and aquaculture producers have drastically reduced stocking targets.

    The pandemic is set to severely hit, in particular, global shrimp and salmon production, the FAO said.

    The shrimp farming season in Asia, which generally begins in April, is now delayed until June/July. In India, for example, farmed shrimp production is expected to fall by 30-40 percent.

    Also, worldwide demand for both fresh and frozen shrimp is declining significantly, whilst demand for salmon is expected to drop by at least by 15 percent in 2020. Retail sales, in particular, of fresh salmon and trout have fallen greatly, and this will not recover for some time.

    Regarding meat production, the FAO also predicted that the world total meat production will fall by 1.7 per cent in 2020 due to animal diseases, COVID-19-related market disruptions, and the lingering effects of droughts.

    International meat trade is likely to register a moderate growth but considerably slower growth than in 2019 largely sustained by high imports from China, he FAO said.

    International meat prices have fallen by 8.6 percent from January 2020, with the sharpest drop in ovine meat, followed by poultry, pig and bovine meats due to the impacts of COVID-19-related measures, including ensuing logistical bottlenecks, steep decline in global import demand, and substantial volumes of unsold meat products.

     

    Source: laudbusiness.com

  • Firms engaged in table-top payments advised to stop

    Employers who continue to pay their workers cash have been advised to stop the practice especially because of the coronavirus pandemic. This is because experts have argued that cash could be a mode for transmitting the virus.

    Financial institutions have been encouraging the public to turn to electronic payment channels to reduce their exposure to the virus. While many shops now accept electronic payments-especially mobile money, payment of wages and salaries of employees of some organizations in cash, remains a challenge.

    Relatively small companies as well as those with large casual workers tend to pay their workers in cash. This practice has been going on despite the several electronic options that exist. The practice of paying workers on table-top poses risks to both the employer and employee in the form of armed robbery and pilfering.

    With the corona virus pandemic, the practice also poses serious health risks to the person paying as well as those receiving the cash. Besides possible transmission of the virus through the handling of the cash, paying cash to such large number of people can hardly be done without compromising physical distancing.

    Speaking in an interview, the Chief Executive of Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems Archie Hesse urged companies to stop the practice of paying workers cash for the sake of the safety of the employees and themselves. He urged them to use any of the many electronic payment options available.

    Mr. Hesse explained that companies can use ACH Direct Credit or e-zwich to pay their employees including those they consider as casual. He said smaller firms such as those into construction can use mobile money if they find the other electronic payment channels too complex for their operations.

    The GhIPSS Boss noted that “it will be such a terrible thing to contract the virus receiving your salary or wage through cash, this is very avoidable. It is even not convenient that anytime you have to pay salaries or wages, someone must be physically present, when you can do that remotely”.

    Mr. Hesse pleaded with companies who still do table-top payment to stop and speak to their banks or credible FinTechs for advice on the various payment options that suit their operations. He said GhIPSS Instant Pay, mobile banking apps and mobile money are options available to small firms while the larger ones can opt for ACH Direct Credit, e-zwich and others that can be used for bulk transfers.

    Ghana continue to record increases in the number of positive cases, prompting the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo to stress on the need to observe the safety protocols. Practices such as table-top payment however remain an obstacle to the effort to stop the spread of the virus.

     

    Source: thefinderonline.com

  • Joy FM’s Gary Al-Smith exposes gov’t over Covid-19 management after shocking recoveries

    A journalist at the Multimedia Group Limited (MGL), Gary Al-Smith who tested positive for Covid-19 and is receiving treatment at the University of Ghana Medical Center has exposed Government and the management of Ghana’s Covid-19 cases big time.

    The sport journalist who is still at the Covid-19 treatment center minutes after Ghana shockingly recorded over 10, 000 covid-19 recoveries, took to his facebook to expose the rot and lapses ongoing at the treatment center.

    Per what he said, all is not well at the University of Ghana Medical Center in terms of how they are handling the cases.

    He also revealed that, Ghana’s Health system is really messed up, meaning there all the information we are hearing might not be accurate.

    Gary who vowed to expose the messed up system and the rot currently ongoing at the center wrote the following on facebook

    Ghana’s health system, especially on the Covid-19 management is incredibly messed up. Learnt so much these past days.

    Tomorrow, I begin writing and speaking about the lapses I have witnessed.

    If you’re a government communicator or are paid to insult people, get ready to earn your salary.

    Otherwise, I’m doing well .

  • Nyaho Medical Centre boss reveals why he made coronavirus status public

    Managing Director of Nyaho Medical Centre, Dr Elikem Tamaklo, has said he made his coronavirus status public because he is determined to fight the stigma against infected persons.

    In a video, he said making his COVID-19 status public was part of efforts to stop the virus from spreading to other members of his family.

    “A lot of people have asked me why I shared my status so publicly. It was because of this idea of stigma.

    “My personal story was really that my wife and I were symptomatic when we tested, and in fact, we tested our whole family and our children were positive but had no symptoms at all,” he revealed in the video.

    Dr Tamaklo confirmed through the Media Liaison of the Centre, Rita Agyeiwaa Rockson, earlier this month that he got infected most likely through a community-based case.

    Rita Rockson stated that Dr Tamaklo had not been physically present at the hospital premises two weeks before the public disclosure of his status.

    In the video shot in a small office, Dr Tamaklo said himself and the whole family were in good health.

    He revealed that symptoms he experienced in the early stages of the infection included fever, body aches and mild coughs.

    He urged the public to adhere to the safety measures of handwashing and wearing of face masks since they help to reduce contact with the virus.

    As of Saturday, June 21, 2020, the number of COVID-19 cases in Ghana stood at 13, 717 with over 10,000 recoveries and 85 deaths.

     

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Ghana records over 10,000 Covid-19 recoveries with 15 new deaths

    Ghana has recorded over 10,000 Covid-19 recoveries while 15 more people have lost the battle against the virus, the Ghana Health Service has reported.

    According to the Service, 5,526 people have recovered bringing the national total to 10,074.

    The country has recorded 514 new cases leaving the total number of confirmed cases at 13,717.

    The huge increase in recoveries leaves the number of active cases at 3554.

     

    Regional breakdown

    Greater Accra Region 7,860; Ashanti Region 2,637; Western Region 1,142; Central Region 789; Eastern Region 358; Volta Region 309; Upper East Region 271; Oti Region 105; Western North Region 82; Northern Region 61; Savannah Region 37; Upper West Region 32; Bono East Region 23; Ahafo Region 8; North East; Region 2; Bono Region 1

  • Absa Bank confirms two COVID-19 cases

    Absa Bank Ghana Limited, formerly Barclays Bank, has confirmed its first coronavirus case.

    In a memo to staff, Managing Director of absa Bank Abena Osei-Poku confirmed that two of its staff have been infected with the virus.

    She, however, added that the affected staff members have been isolated and are being offered the necessary support.

    The memo also urged staff to continue to adhere to all the safety protocols directed by the health ministry.

    “If you feel unwell, kindly contact functional head, who will ensure you have received the required support immediately..testing is available to all of you on-demand.”

    Source: Starrfmonline 

  • 146 coronavirus patients recover in Central Region

    One hundred and forty-six persons who tested positive for COVID-19 in the Central Region have fully recovered.

    Dr Akosua Owusu-Sarpong, the Regional Director of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), briefing stakeholders on the status of the disease in the Region, said 9,570 of the 11,754 specimen sent to the various testing centres came out negative.

    Results for the remaining were yet to be ready, she told the meeting, attended by metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives, heads of senior and basic schools, regional and district health directors, the police and heads of department and agencies.

    It was to establish a clear cut operational instructions for the re-opening of basic and senior high schools.

    Dr Owusu-Sarpong said the patients were being treatment at designated health facilities including the Cape Coast Metropolitan Hospital, Trauma Specialist Hospital at Winneba, and the Ajumako Hospital.

    The rest are the Dunkwa-On-Offin Hospital, Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, and Pentecost Convention Centre. Others are also being treated at home.

    The Cape Coast Metropolis has the highest number of confirmed cases of 169, followed by KEEA – 104, Mfantseman 74, and Awutu Senya East – 67.

    The Assin North has eight, Gomoa East six, Ajumako – 22, Agona West – six, Gomoa West-22, Ekumfi-five, Agona East – six, Twifo Atimokwa-11, Upper Denkyira East-27, AOB – four, Assin Fosu – 33, Assin South – four and Gomoa Central – two.

    Dr Owusu-Sarpong said the Directorate continued to receive personal protective equipment from the Government and other benevolent organisations and individuals, which they distribute to the various health facilities.

    She said the GHS would continue to engage the various stakeholders in ensuring that the safety protocols were adhered to through radio discussions and community information centres among other mediums.

    Dr Owusu-Sarpong said the GHS had begun engagement with District Directors of Education and schools on the measures to be instituted before re-opening.

    She said all senior high schools had been linked to specific health institutions with nurses to monitor their activities for quick intervention if the need arose.

    She called for enhanced routine surveillance in the schools to swiftly handle any suspected case.

    She noted that many people did not wear nose masks when in public and cautioned that the only way to prevent getting infected was to adhere strictly to the protocols.

    Source: Peace FM

  • Ghanas coronavirus death toll hits 70, case count now 13,203

    Four more Coronavirus patients have been confirmed dead, according to new updates released by the Ghana Health Service.

    This moves the number of recorded deaths from 66 to 70 while the case count hovers around 13,203 as 274 new persons have tested positive.

    Per the new updates by the GHS, the number of recovered patients has also seen an increase as 80 more infected persons have been declared free moving the numbers to 4,548 from 4468.

    This means the number of active cases now stands at 8,585, a sharp rise from the previously recorded 8395.

    With regards to the regional breakdown, Greater Accra Region continues to maintain its lead with Ashanti Region following next.

    Another significant change is that Ahafo Region which previously had only one case now has eight.

    Regional Breakdown;

    Greater Accra Region – 7,681

    Ashanti Region – 2,498

    Western Region – 1,053

    Central Region – 782

    Eastern Region – 301

    Volta Region – 296

    Upper East Region – 241

    Oti Region – 105

    Western North Region – 82

    Northern Region – 61

    Savannah Region – 37

    Upper West Region – 32

    Bono East Region – 23

    Ahafo Region – 8

    North East Region – 2

    Bono Region – 1

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Dominase SDA Hospital staff buy own PPE for coronavirus fight

    Some health workers at Dominase SDA Hospital in the Bekwai Municipality of the Ashanti Region have purchased Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) worth GHS10,000 from their voluntary contributions.

    The cash was contributed by medical doctors, nurses, midwives, allied health workers, chaplains, orderlies and security personnel of the facility to augment the fight against COVID-19.

    On Wednesday, 15 April 2020; management of the facility set up a committee to solicit alms from staff and the general public to buy PPE.

    The chairman of the COVID-19 Fund Committee, Mr. Adu Gyamfi Boadi explained that they were motivated by the urgent need to buy PPE to protect hospital staff and clients from contracting the deadly virus.

    He told Class News’ Maxwell Attah that 30 pieces of face shield with mask, 10 cartoons of hand sanitizers, four boxes of a surgical mask, four automatic-hand-sanitizer dispenser, three pulse oximetres, 1,200 reusable face masks, among others were purchased from the fund.

    He remarked that government alone cannot afford to supply all the needed PPE to the hospital, adding, “so we have to buy some to protect ourselves. As health workers, and we have done this, it will motivate others to come and help us.”

    So far, one medical doctor at Kwadaso SDA Hospital has died after 97 health workers in the region were infected with COVID-19.

    The Principal Health Administrator of the facility, Mr. Thomas Asamoah appealed to civil society organizations, NGOs and philanthropists to support health facilities with cash and PPE to protect their staff.

     

    Source: Class FM

  • Social distancing still a major problem in Savannah Region – Minister

    The Minister for Savannah Region, Adam Salifu Braimah has said that the observation of social distancing is still a major problem.

    He explained that churches in the region have no problem complying with the protocols but called for an intense education for Muslims in the communities who still gather in the mosques to pray, attend weddings, naming and funeral ceremonies in large numbers which is against the basic protocols put in place by the government.

    The Minister who made these comments when he addressed a Press Conference at the Savannah Regional Coordinating Council in Damongo on June 18, 2020, also called on the media to educate the populace.

    He mentioned the Savannah Regional capital Damongo and Salaga as the major towns in the region that keeps defying the Coronavirus protocols adding that “we are counting so much on the media to educate our people especially Muslims because they are the people who go contrary to some of these things. God is everywhere”.

    The Savannah Region Minister said the region has recorded 34 new cases of COVID-19 bringing the total number to 35 with the laboratory confirmation of the cases done on 14th June 2020.

    He said 18 out of the 34 cases were recorded in Salaga in the East Gonja Municipality with the remaining 16 cases also recorded in Buipe in the Central Gonja district of the Savannah Region.

    He further said the Savannah Regional Health Directorate embarked on enhanced surveillance leading to the collection of sputum samples from clients who he described asymptomatic.

    Hon. Braimah explained that the results of the affected persons were communicated to them leading to the victims undergoing self-isolation in their various homes whilst contact tracing and sputum collection is ongoing at the two affected districts by the rapid response teams fully supported by their district assemblies which have led to the tracing of some 30 contacts so far.

    The minister urged the people of the Savannah Region to adhere to the basic principles of preventing the spread of COVID-19. He appealed to the media to help in the education of the people especially the market centers which people from all walks of life gather for business purposes.

    He said again that the region has so far been able to put in place 3 isolation centers in Damongo, Salaga and Bole with each center capable of receiving more than 30 persons.

    Meanwhile, the Savannah Regional Minister disclosed during the media briefing that some Personal Protective equipment has been sent to tertiary schools in the municipality which have reopened.

    The Director of Health Services for the Savannah region, Dr. Kubio said those affected even though show no signs and symptoms, they can still transmit the disease to other persons in the region, leading to self-isolation of the people.

    He also urged the people to abide by the protocols put in place to help fight the disease in the region.

     

    Source: nkilgifmonline.com

  • Coronavirus: Adaklu MP advises students against care-free lifestyle

    Kwame Agbodza, Member of Parliament for Adaklu, has cautioned students against ‘care-free’ lifestyles in school in the wake of COVID19.

    He said the spread of the virus was an indication that it must not be taken for granted and charged students to strictly adhere to all preventive protocols as schools reopened. Mr. Agbodza said this when he presented some personal protective equipment to residents of Adaklu Waya.

    The items include; 10,000 face masks, 15 veronica buckets, hand sanitizers, liquid soaps and tissue papers.

    He said the world was not in normal times, demanding cautiousness and healthy lifestyle. Mr. Agbodza said the veronica buckets should be placed in markets in the District and some face masks and the other items given to the Adaklu Senior High School to be used by the final year students who were to resume school on 22nd June.

    The MP said the rest should be distributed to all communities in the District. Mr. Samuel Atormy Dorfe, Asseblyman for Torda electoral area who received the items on behalf of the people praised Mr. Agbodza for his untiring efforts in the fight against the pandemic in the District.

    He appealed to all well-meaning citizens of the area, philanthropists and organizations to support the MP in helping stop the spread of the virus.

     

    Source: GNA

  • Coronavirus: Brouhaha at University of Ghana Medical School over student agreement

    Students at the University of Ghana Medical School have expressed concern over the wording of a new document they are required to fill amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Some of the students in an interaction with Dailymailgh.com said signing the document puts them at risk during their clinical rotation in this period of coronavirus.

    According to the document, which is mandatory for every student to sign, the students are to note that they “face the same risk as full-time Health Workers” during their clinical rotations and will “agree to continue my training under these circumstances which will be the same during my professional life.”

    Some of the students said they also deserve insurance as other health professionals during the clinicals and want authorities to take a second look at the document.

    Below is a write-up from one of the students to Dailymailgh.com:

    On 18th June, 2020, there was an orientation session organized for students of the University of Ghana Medical School which was focused on briefing the students concerning the COVID-19 situation and how to adapt to the new normal.

    Students were required to do thorough handwashing and temperatures were checked before entry. In the course of the meeting, the Dean of the Medical School (Prof. Margaret Lartey) made mention of a document to be signed by students. What was problematic about this document was the first and second paragraph which read: “I (Insert Full Name) a level 600 Medical Student recognize and acknowledge that during my Clinical Rotations, I face the same risk as full-time Health Workers. I agree to continue my training under these circumstances which will be the same during my professional life”.

    The document does not make mention of insurance cover for students and when asked, the dean evaded the question about insurance and stated that if anyone did not feel comfortable with signing the documents, that individual can defer the course and come back when they are comfortable.

    Personally, that was the first time I came across such a document and the words of the dean indirectly forced me and I believe many others to succumb to the pressure of signing the document just to avoid complications with the school authorities.

    I believe that we should have been told about this document and given ample time to go through the document and analyze its legal implications as the intelligent students we are taught to be. Our questions about insurance should not be dismissed by the authorities and the school should not leave us to fend for ourselves when it comes to insurance because we are exposed to the same risk as all health workers (if not more) and for that an insurance package should be made available for students in case someone comes down with COVID-19.

    I stand with and speak on behalf of those who also see the unfairness with regard to this stance taken by the school and I hope to see that students are also given an insurance package specifically for COVID-19 aside the basic healthcare provided by the school clinic. We are all human so let us humanely treat each other with the respect we all deserve. After all, we should all be equal under the law; some people should not be more equal than others.

     

    Source: Daily Mail

  • Coronavirus scare hits National Cardio Centre

    Staff of the National Cardiothoracic Centre at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital are living in fear following the recording of a number of coronavirus cases there.

    Their worry stems from the fact that management has defied advise to make room for isolation to take care of patients who known to have contracted the virus which has affected well over 11, 000 in the country.

    Credible information has it that two weeks ago, coronavirus infection case was recorded at the dialysis unit of the Centre which led to a fumigation of the place on Sunday, June 7.

    This was to have also necessitated the screening of staff to ascertain whether or not some had contracted the virus.

    When the report came out, sources say it turned out that 22 staff at the Cardio Centre which is touted a centre of excellence were said to have tested positive, leading to their isolation and subsequent quarantine.

    Just this past Monday, June 15, another patient who was on admission there was said to have tested positive and has since been transferred to a treatment centre.

    Sometime in April, a patient said to have been referred to the Cardio Centre from the Medical Block of the Korle Bu hospital reportedly died there of the virus.

    This is what is putting fear in workers there who think their safety is being put at risk considering the fact that they are exposed.

     

    Source: dailyguidenework.com

  • Coronavirus: FDA issues warning against UK breakthrough drug dexamethasone

    The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has issued a warning against the use of dexamethasone for the prevention of the novel coronavirus disease.

    Dexamethasone, a steroid drug, has been hailed in the UK as a breakthrough in the fight against coronavirus.

    However, in a statement issued on Wednesday, June 17, 2020, the FDA explained that the drug is shown to be beneficial only in preventing some deaths in COVID-19 patients on ventilators and oxygen and not asymptomatic or mild to moderately ill patients.

    “Dexamethasone is a corticosteroid and is classified as a Prescription-Only-Medicine and should only be prescribed and used under medical supervision in COVID-19 or for any other disease,” the FDA statement indicated.

    The FDA also explained that dexamethasone suppresses the immune system, and in the UK study, this effect was beneficial and needed in order to suppress the clinically problematic excessive immune reaction in severe and critical COVID-19 cases.

    It said dexamethasone should therefore not under any circumstances be used for the prevention of COVID-19 as its potential to suppress the immune system will counteract the body’s natural function to fight against COVID-19 and other infections in long-term use.

    “The public is therefore cautioned against the purchase, stocking and use of dexamethasone or any other corticosteroid medicine unless certified by healthcare professionals,” the FDA warned.

     

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Ghanaian Times: Coronavirus and stranded Ghanaians abroad

    The government on Tuesday announced the evacuation of at least 1,100 Ghanaians stranded in foreign lands back home.

    They were stranded in different locations across the world following the closure of borders amid the coronavirus pandemic.

    According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, 230 of the stranded Ghanaians were flown in from Kuwait, 77 from Nigeria, 41 being students who were on an exchange programme in Washington D.C in the United States of America (USA), 154 arrived from Dubai while 141 students arrived on a bus from Benin.

    The rest were flown in from Egypt, South Africa, Israel, Burkina Faso and China.

    Briefing the media in Accra, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, said, the stranded Ghanaians were brought into the country between May and early part of this month.

    She said about 250 more Ghanaians stranded in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are also expected in the country soon.

    An additional 400 arrived in the country yesterday and later on June 21 from China while 196 are expected from Lebanon.

    Furthermore, she said other stranded Ghanaians would be airlifted from China, New York and Washington both in the United States (U.S) by the end of the month.

    Whilst we commend the government for facilitating the safe arrival of Ghanaians from abroad into the country, we regret that the processes of evacuating our compatriots from abroad has been impeded by the high cost of hotels to accommodate those who have arrived to undergo mandatory quarantine.

    According to Madam Botchwey, the exercise has also been dogged with determining persons considered to be destitute amongst the evacuees.

    These issues are likely to present the government additional burden apart from the fight against the disease that is wreaking havoc across the world.

    The evacuation of Ghanaians across the world is not an easy task and we believe that there are many others scattered around the world who would wish that they are evacuated back home but help has not reached them yet.

    Although the Ghanaian Times is aware arrangements are being made to ensure that all others are brought back home, we believe it is time institutions and individuals which have facilities offer support to the government by giving out their facilities as places for quarantine.

    As had been stated above already, the high cost of hotels to accommodate those who have been evacuated to undergo mandatory quarantine has become a burden that government cannot carry alone.

    We ask all affected citizens both home and abroad to cooperate with the government as it undertakes the exercise in a manner which will ensure all stranded outside the borders of the country return home safely without exposing the whole populace to COVID-19.

     

    Source: ghanaiantimes.com.gh

  • Pray for Health Minister to recover speedily Dr DaCosta

    Dr. Dacosta Aboagye, Chairman of the Risk Communication and Social Mobilisation Committee for Ghana’s COVID-19 Response team, has advised critics who have accused the Health Minister of deceit to rather pray for him to recover speedily.

    The Health Minister Mr Kwaku Agyeman Manu courted controversy when news broke that he had been infected with COVID-19, which he reportedly denied.

    The President in his 11th update to the nation, however, confirmed the report and wished him speedy recovery.

    The Health Minister according to critics should have known better than to play hide and seek with his status.

    Dr. Dacosta Aboagye in an interview with the Ghana News Agency said Ghanaians should pray for him to recover quickly, instead of faulting him of deceit.

    COVID-19, he said, was no respecter of persons.

    Ghana’s total confirmed cases of COVID-19 are 12,929, with 4,468 recoveries and 66 deaths.

    Source: GNA

  • Metro mass transit buses not observing social distancing

    Metro Mass Transit buses operating from ‘Kufuor station’ at Ashaiman has stopped observing social distancing as authorities now load to full capacity.

    A conductor of one of the buses told the Ghana News Agency that it was a directive from above for them to revert to loading full even though all commercial vehicles were directed by the President to observe social distancing in their vehicles to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

    She said all passengers were informed before loading and whoever was not agreement was not given access to the bus.

    The GNA observed that all buses loaded at the station on last Friday were fully loaded as seats which took one a passenger during the compliance to social distancing, now had two passengers.

    Madam Abigail Nartey, a trader who boarded one of the buses on Friday morning, refused to allow anyone to sit by her, saying coronavirus was real therefore the need for management to strictly obey the social distancing directive.

    Mr Samuel Adjei, another passager who was going to Accra, also confronted the driver on the issue, according to the driver, their management said they were running at a loss and therefore the need to resume their normal activities of loading the bus to its original capacity.

    Mr George Krobea Asante, Head of Corporate Communication at MMT, who took almost a week to respond to the issue, said “Management had served a stern warning to the operational crew at the various terminals on non-compliance with the social distancing protocol following some reports they received on such happenings at some of their terminals.

    “Management will not countenance any act of negligence and indiscipline that has the tendency of putting the image of the company into disrepute and that anyone found culpable under our investigation shall be severely dealt with”.

    He added that Management had issued an operational directive to reemphasize the need to observe all the safety protocols in all the 16 depots and loading terminals across the country saying “management remains very committed to fighting and helping to prevent the spread of this deadly COVID 19 pandemic”.

    Source: GNA

  • Coronavirus does not discriminate on tribal, religious or political lines – Oppong-Nkrumah

    Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Thursday, urged heads of Regional Coordinating Councils and assemblies to enforce the wearing of nose masks in their respective jurisdictions.

    He implored everyone to wear nose masks, saying that citizens have a collective responsibility and interest to wear them to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

    He said the wearing of nose mask was not a substitute for other safety etiquettes, but a complementary measure to prevent contaminated droplets from an infected person from infecting others.

    “The virus does not discriminate either on religious, tribal, economic, political or social status.

    “It can affect anyone and if you have underlying health conditions, it can worsen your health condition leading to death,” the Minister cautioned.

    Mr Oppong Nkrumah gave the advice in Accra on Thursday, during the Minister’s briefing, to update the public on COVID-19 case count and management.

    In enforcement of the Executive Instrument on mandatory wearing of nose masks, the Minister urged operators of public and private institutions, workplace managers and event organisers to strictly comply with physical distancing and ensure the availability of handwashing logistics at all time.

    On the re-opening of schools, Mr Oppong Nkrumah said, preliminary feedback from the 234 tertiary educational institutions indicates that compliance with sanitary and safety measures is commendable.

    He gave the assurance that government would continue to observe the compliance of safety and hygiene protocols in the schools to inform its decision-making.

    Source: GNA

  • COVID-19 treatment centres in Ashanti run out of beds

    The two coronavirus disease (COVID-19) treatment centres in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region have run out of beds and are unable to admit new patients.

    The Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), which has the capacity of 18 beds and the Kumasi South Hospital at Agogo, which also serves as the Regional Hospital with 20 beds, are both full as a result of the increase in the number of cases being recorded in the region.

    The region currently has 2,403 positive cases with 38 deaths.

    Briefing

    Addressing the media in Kumasi yesterday, the Ashanti Regional Director of Health, Dr Emmanuel Tenkorang, said the rapid mutation of the virus was also exposing health workers to the disease.

    According to him, 97 health workers in the region had contracted the virus with one death.

    They include 18 doctors and 47 nurses, with the rest being auxiliary workers such as cleaners, contact tracers, physician assistants and administrative staff.

    Dr Tenkorang said 14 of the workers had recovered and were doing well while the other 82 were being managed at home.

    He explained that the changing signs and symptoms of the virus were posing a great danger to the health workers as many of them were being exposed inadvertently.

    Dr Tenkorang said because some of the patients did not report with the known symptoms of the disease, “before they are diagnosed of having coronavirus, the health workers have already been exposed. Most of the cases being recorded lately present with malaria-like symptoms and general malaise”.

    Concerns

    The director expressed worry about the rising cases in the region and appealed to residents to strictly adhere to the protocols and guidelines on safety to stem the spread.

    He said the region could be overwhelmed with cases if the people failed to change their attitudes and continue to behave in wanton disregard of safety protocols such as social distancing, washing of hands with soap under running water and wearing of nose masks.

    In the region, the KATH is the only facility with four ventilators; the other centres have none.

    Dr Tenkorang said plans were advanced for the expansion of the Kumasi South Hospital (KSH) treatment centre to increase its capacity to 41 beds, while seven beds had been secured at the Suntreso Hospital for the treatment of COVID-19 cases.

    He said a senior medical officer had also agreed to offer his facility as a treatment centre and when “that happens, we will have a total of 138-bed capacity for treatment”.

    The director further said there was the need for the establishment of more isolation centres to cater for the rising cases in the region.

    Currently, the isolation centre can only take 207 people “and luckily for us most of them were discharged yesterday”, Dr Tenkorang said, adding “we are in talks with the Ghana Registered Nurses Association who have also agreed to offer their hostel as an isolation centre”.

    Contact tracers

    On the purported strike action by contact tracers in the region, Dr Tenkorang admitted that the allowance paid to the volunteers had been slashed from GH¢150 to GH¢70.

    He explained that during the lockdown when the workload was high, the health directorate recruited volunteers to assist the staff of the Ministry of Health in the The amount was paid to only the volunteers while the staff of the ministry were paid only their usual monthly salaries.

    However, after the lifting of the ban on movement, the ministry decided to do away with the volunteers and use only the staff for the contact tracing and added that the volunteers were being used only in Greater Accra and Ashanti regions, while the other regions relied solely on their own staff.

    The director said some of the districts later requested to also use volunteers for contact tracing as they did not have enough personnel to perform that task.
    According to him, it was subsequently agreed that those who wanted to use the volunteers should budget for them from their own resources and “they agreed to pay them GH¢70 a day and this was communicated to them”.

    “Besides, we have asked those who have any problem to report to the regional health directorate but we are yet to see any of them,” he said.

    Source: graphic.com.gh

  • Ashanti Region: 97 health workers test positive for COVID-19

    Some 97 health workers in the Ashanti Region have contracted the Coronavirus disease with one death.

    They include 18 doctors and 47 nurses, with the rest being auxiliary workers such as cleaners, contact tracers, physician assistants and administrative staff.

    The Ashanti Regional Director of Health, Dr Emmanuel Tenkorang, who made this known at a press briefing in Kumasi, 14 of the workers had recovered and were doing well while the other 82 were being managed at home.

    He explained that the changing signs and symptoms of the virus were posing a great danger to the health workers as many of them were being exposed inadvertently.

    Dr Tenkorang said because some of the patients did not report with the known symptoms of the disease, “before they are diagnosed of having coronavirus, the health workers have already been exposed. Most of the cases being recorded lately present with malaria-like symptoms and general malaise”.

    Treatment centres full

    Dr Tenkorang also noted that the two coronavirus disease (COVID-19) treatment centres in Kumasi have run out of beds and are unable to admit new patients.

    The Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), which has the capacity of 18 beds and the Kumasi South Hospital at Agogo, which also serves as the Regional Hospital with 20 beds, are both full as a result of the increase in the number of cases being recorded in the region.

    The region currently has 2,403 positive cases with 38 deaths.

    Concerns

    The director expressed worry about the rising cases in the region and appealed to residents to strictly adhere to the protocols and guidelines on safety to stem the spread.

    He said the region could be overwhelmed with cases if the people failed to change their attitudes and continue to behave in wanton disregard of safety protocols such as social distancing, washing of hands with soap under running water and wearing of nose masks.

    In the region, the KATH is the only facility with four ventilators; the other centres have none.

    Dr Tenkorang said plans were advanced for the expansion of the Kumasi South Hospital (KSH) treatment centre to increase its capacity to 41 beds, while seven beds had been secured at the Suntreso Hospital for the treatment of COVID-19 cases.

    He said a senior medical officer had also agreed to offer his facility as a treatment centre and when “that happens, we will have a total of 138-bed capacity for treatment”.

    The director further said there was the need for the establishment of more isolation centres to cater for the rising cases in the region.

    Currently, the isolation centre can only take 207 people “and luckily for us most of them were discharged yesterday”, Dr Tenkorang said, adding “we are in talks with the Ghana Registered Nurses Association who have also agreed to offer their hostel as an isolation centre”.

    Source: graphic.com.gh

  • New inmates are screened, isolated for 14 days Ghana Prison Service

    The Public Relations Officer for the Ghana Prison Service, Superintendent Courage Atsem, has stressed that safety measures have been employed to prevent the possible transmission of coronavirus from new inmates to those who are already facing their jail term in prison.

    Supt. Courage Atsem stated that new admissions are screened and go through the 14-day mandatory isolation period before they join other inmates.

    In an interview with GhanaWeb, Supt. Atsem said, “We have all new admissions screened for COVID-19 and thereafter quarantined for 14 days. That has been the practice, for now, it has been challenging because of the prisons are congested therefore finding the space for isolation was a bit of a challenge.”

    Mr. Atsem again disclosed that the prison administration has created 7 new prison facilities across the country to admit new prisoners in this time when Ghana is battling with the Coronavirus pandemic.

    “The prison administration in conjunction with other players in the Criminal Justice System has come out with seven selected prisons purposely for new admissions, by this arrangement we might be minimizing the risk of transmitting the virus to a larger number of inmates,” he reiterated.

    With overcrowding and poor ventilation being a major challenge in some prisons, there are fears of an outbreak of COVID-19 cases behind bars. Many have called on the government to consider a short-term plan to reduce the number of inmates in each cell.

    Speaking on the plans to address the issue of overcrowding Supt. Courage Atsem said that, “pardon is one of the ways to decongest prisons, it is the prerogative of the president, so anytime he decides to do it. It will be a welcome development. They are other measures too except that those are rather for medium to long-term purposes.”

    Meanwhile, data provided by the Ghana Prison Service (GPS) revealed that the total number of inmates across all prisons in Ghana stood at 13,882 as of June 15, 2020.

    New data available to GhanaWeb disclosed that three inmates have so far tested positive for coronavirus with two fully recovered. However, the third patient is currently receiving treatment at an isolation center.

    Also, the GPS added that all six Prison Officers whose test results came out positive have recovered.

     

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • ‘I’m ready to sacrifice my residence as coronavirus isolation centre’ – DCE

    “If approved by the Ghana Health Service (GHS), I am ready to sacrifice my official residence as an isolation centre, Mr Derrick Owusu Ambrose, the Assin South District Chief Executive (DCE) has assured.

    He opined that if that was what it will take to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the District.

    He called on all to show greater commitment to the fight against the pandemic as the surest way to drastically reduce the rapid spread of the virus, which was gaining roots in the District.

    “We must step up the pace and show the people our unflinching commitment to public welfare and safety and our commitment to make the difference we seek for,” the DCE added.

    Mr Ambrose gave the assurance in an interview with the Ghana News Agency at Assin-Homaho to confirm four new coronavirus cases bringing the total number of patients in the District to 19.

    He stated that the patients who were in their early 30s and 40s have been isolated and contact tracing had begun to curtail the spread of the pandemic.

    He indicated that all the Covid-19 patients in the District were asymptomatic and advised all persons who exhibited symptoms of the dreaded disease to, as a matter of urgency, report to the nearest health facility.

    Alternatively, due to travel difficulties and telephone connectivity, people could call the national centre for immediate assistance.

    The DCE reiterated the Assembly’s resolve to ensure strict public adherence to health protocols as it tightened measures and innovate to prevent COVID-19 from invading the District.

    The measures include the deployment of teams to various communities to educate the people on the mode of transmission and how to protect themselves against the virus

    Mr Ambrose said the Assembly had taken delivery of quantities of hospital beds, gloves, sanitizers, face masks and Veronica buckets to manage the disease.

    According to the DCE, who is also a Pharmacist, the virus was transmitted through direct contact with respiratory droplets of an infected person through coughing and sneezing and touching contaminated surfaces.

    To avoid the risk of infection, the DCE advised the public to wash hands frequently with soap under running water, or alcohol-based hand sanitizers, cover mouth and nose with a flexed elbow or tissue when coughing or sneezing, and throw away the tissue into a closed bin immediately.

     

    Source: GNA

  • Ashanti Region: Bekwai, military hospitals to be dedicated to COVID-19 fight

    Deputy Minister of Health, Dr. Bernard Oko Boye has said government is considering dedicating the Bekwai and the military hospitals in the Ashanti Region to fight against the novel coronavirus.

    According to him, the goal is to have the Ga-East hospital model replicated in the region.

    The move follows a request by medical officers in the region for government to provide dedicated facilities to the fight against the virus.

    The minister made the claim while speaking at a donation ceremony by the Chinese Embassy at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital on Wednesday, June 17, 2020.

    He opined that his ministry is collaborating with the Ministry of finance to make available resources for the Bekwai hospital to be completed and assigned to fight COVID-19.

    ”If you have a COVID case that is critical in Kumasi, they are handled at Komfo Anokye and one or two designated places. What the doctors are asking for is a Ga-East like facility. A facility completely dedicated to COVID-19 cases and two hospitals are being considered.”

    He added that ”The Bekwai hospital which is just near completion and also the military hospital in the Ashanti Region. So the Ministry is working with the Ministry of finance to make sure that we get the resources and quickly make them facilities that will be available for COVID.”

    Source: abcnewsgh.com

  • MP urges Government to pay for upkeep of ‘stranded Ghanaians’ in quarantine

    The MP for South Dayi, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, wants government to pay for the upkeep of stranded Ghanaians when they return home to undergo quarantine.

    The legislator believes the government has requested for enough funds to be able to cater for their needs during the two-week mandatory quarantine.

    According to him, it would be disingenuous for government to ask persons who were stranded to pay for their own upkeep during quarantine.

    Government came to Parliament on three different occasions to ask for money. They got GHS16.7 billion,” Mr. Dafeamekpor told Citi FM.

    “They turned some of these things to international bond and all and they got every single dime under the program. And one of the key things they told Parliament was that they are spending money to evacuate Ghanaians from other regions and when they do so, they will have to feed them for a number of days to conform to the protocols.”

    Many Ghanaians abroad have expressed their unhappiness about the amount being charged by government to quarantine them when they are evacuated back to Ghana.

    The Foreign Affairs Ministry plans to airlift “willing” Ghanaians, quarantine them for a period of 14 days, before reintegrating them back into society if they test negative for COVID-19.

    But these stranded Ghanaians are not only expected to pay for their air tickets, the government also requests that the foot the bill for the 14-day quarantine period.

    In a statement, the Ghana Embassies said they will be quarantined in two-star and four-star hotels which cost GHc500 per night and GHc600 per night, respectively.

    This means each stranded Ghanaian that is evacuated will pay at least GHc7,000 or GHc8,400 to cover the cost of their quarantine, depending on which hotels they are lodged in.

    This, many of the stranded Ghanaians, believe is too expensive and want the government to intervene.

     

    Source: pulse.com.gh

  • Public urged to show love and care for coronavirus patients

    Mr Labram Musah, the Ghana National Coordinator of NCD Alliance has urged the public to show love, care, and support to COVID-19 patients and people living with non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

    He said: “Everyone is a potential victim of COVID-19 and NCDs.We should avoid stigmatization and discrimination against persons who have recovered to help reduce the burden.”

    Mr Musah gave the advice in an interview with the Ghana News Agency during a public awareness programme on the COVID-19 at Madina in Accra. He said: “We should all come together and adhere to the safety protocols by washing hands, wearing of nose marks, avoid crowded places and cover mouth and nose while coughing and sneezing so we can win the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.”

    Mr Musah called for support from the government, healthcare providers, and those living with NCDs while urging for their involvement in the community and national response programmes to help address stigma and discrimination.

    The National Coordinator further called for adherence to medical treatment for NCD patients as against the spiritual and superstitious believes of the diseases.

    Mr Musah said to prevent NCDs and promote good health people with the disease should avoid intake of alcoholic beverages and smoking, eat a balanced diet, go for regular medical check-ups, have enough rest, relieve stress, go for brisk walking for 30-45 minutes daily and undertake physical activities.

    Source: GNA

  • Over 90 health workers in Ashanti Region contract COVID-19 Regional Health Directorate

     Ninety-seven (97) health workers in the Ashanti Region have contracted the Coronavirus in line of duty according to the Ashanti Regional Health Directorate.

    This was revealed in a media briefing on Wednesday, June 17, 2020.

    Giving the breaking down of the total infections, the Deputy Regional Director of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Ofori Yeboah detailed that out of the number, 47 are nurses, 14 recoveries and 82 active cases.

    One medical superintendent with the Kwadaso SDA Hospital, Dr. Owusu Boateng have succumbed to the virus.

    One medical superintendent with the Kwadaso SDA Hospital, Dr. Owusu Boateng have succumbed to the virus.

    “A number of health workers have also been affected. As you can see, Ashanti Region, currently 97 health workers have also contracted the disease. Unfortunately, we have lost one them. Having said that, 14 have recovered and 82 are under treating. We are keeping an eye on them,” Dr. Ofori Yeboah announced.

    The Ashanti Region now has 2403 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 38 deaths and 778 recoveries.

    The Ashanti Region now has 2403 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 38 deaths and 778 recoveries.

    Ashanti Regional Health Director Dr Emmanuel Tenkorang further revealed at the news conference that all the treatment centers in the region are currently full.

    He also expressed worry over how residents in the region are disregarding COVID-19 safety protocols.

    He warns there could be a increase in COVID-19-related deaths if the public continue to disregard the protocols.

    Source: abcnewsgh.com

  • COVID-19 deaths rise to 66 as case count hits 12,590

    The novel coronavirus death count continues to rise with eight more deaths recorded.

    There have now been 66 deaths from the virus in Ghana with the total case count rising to 12,590 after 397 new cases.

    Three of the latest deaths had no underlying conditions. These three persons were aged under 40.

    The other deceased persons had diabetes, hypertension and Sickle Cell as underlying conditions.

    In line with recent concerns, six of these new deaths were recorded in the Ashanti Region.

    The others were from the Greater Accra Region.

    The number of recovered persons has also risen to 4,410.

    This leaves Ghana with 8,114 active cases, according to the latest update from the Ghana Health Service.

    Five thousand one hundred and seventy-one these cases were from general surveillance.

    Of the active cases, there are currently 13 persons in severe condition and four in a critical condition.

    Count of Cases per Region

  • Coronavirus: Do you want to usurp ‘angel’ Obinim’s duties? – Kwesi Pratt mocks Pius Hadzide

    Seasoned journalist Kwesi Pratt and Deputy Information Minister, Pius Enam Hadzide, clashed on Peace FM’s ‘Kokrokoo’ on Tuesday, June 16, 2020 and it was an interesting sight to behold.

    The Deputy Information Minister and Kwesi Pratt were commenting on issues regarding the Electoral Commission’s new voters’ registration exercise when the political discussion suddenly turned into a challenge on whether or not Hon. Pius Enam Hadzide has the gift of prophecy.

    What transpired was that Kwesi Pratt, making his submissions, argued that there is no need for the registration exercise and feared the EC might expose the participants to the Coronavirus disease.

    But Enam Hadzide vehemently disagreed, thereby predicting there will be an overwhelming attendance at the registration centers.

    The Deputy Minister was optimistic that a lot of Ghanaians will participate in the exercise.

    This he said, is irrespective of the COVID-19 pandemic and the EC’s decision to exclude the voters’ ID card and birth certificate from the exercise.

    Pius Enam Hadzide’s prediction utterly shocked Kwesi Pratt and then asked him if he wants to take over the prophetic work of the General Overseer of the International God’s Way Church, Bishop Daniel Obinim, popularly known as Angel Obinim.

    ”You want to arrogate to yourself the work of Angel Obinim? I am sure should Angel Obinim get wind of what you’re doing today in the studio, he will be very angry with you because you want to usurp his role. Are you going to prophesy here?” he questioned the Deputy Information Minister.

     

    Source: Peace FM

  • Northern Region: Three-month-old baby dies of COVID-19

    A three-month-old baby has died of COVID-19 in the Northern Region, bringing the death toll in the region to three.

    The baby was referred from the Savelugu Hospital to the Northern Regional Hospital but died shortly afterwards.

    The two others are an 80-year old lady who died in May and a 24-year-old lady who died last week.

    The Northern Regional Health Director, Dr John Eleazer, in an interview on Accra-based radio station, Citi FM, said the region has a total case count of 52.

    According to him, 32 persons have recovered from the disease, with 17 active cases being managed at home.

    National case count

    As at Tuesday, June 16, Ghana’s total case count stood at 12,193 with 4,326 recoveries and 58 deaths.

    The total number of active cases was 7,809.

    Convalescent plasma treatment

    The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) on Monday, June 15, approved the use of convalescent plasma intervention for the treatment of critically ill COVID-19 patients.

    Convalescent plasma (CP) is the term used for plasma that is removed from the blood of a person who has recovered from a disease, then transfused into a patient still battling it.

    Researchers hope that CP can be given to people with severe COVID-19 to boost their ability to fight the virus. It also might help keep people who are moderately ill from becoming more ill and experiencing COVID-19 complications.

    Life saving drug

    Meanwhile, the BBC reports that a cheap and widely available drug called dexamethasone can help save the lives of patients who are seriously ill with COVID-19.

    According to the report, the low-dose steroid treatment is a major breakthrough in the fight against the deadly virus as it cuts the risk of death by a third for patients on ventilators, while it cuts deaths by a fifth for those on oxygen.

    It said the drug was part of the world’s biggest trial testing existing treatments to see if they also work for coronavirus.

     

    Source: Graphic.com.gh 

  • Government working to set up 2 coronavirus hospitals in Ashanti Region Minister

    Deputy Minister of Health, Dr. Bernard Oko Boye, is revealing that Government is taking steps to turn two Hospitals in the Ashanti Region into COVID-19 health facilities.

    He says one is being considered at Bekwai.

    The Deputy Minister made this known in an interview with the media on the sidelines of a donation ceremony at the Ridge hospital.

    The Chinese Community in Ghana donated some COVID-19 relief items to the Greater Accra Regional Hospital at Ridge.

    According to the Minister, the Health Ministry is engaging the Ministry of Finance for financial clearance to set up the facilities.

    His comments come after doctors in the Ashanti Region complained that health facilities were being overwhelmed by COVID-19 patients with frontline health workers contracting the virus.

     

    Source: Daily Guide Network

  • FDA approves convalescence plasma treatment for COVID-19 patients

    The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has approved an investigational convalescent plasma collected from individuals who have recovered from COVID-19 for the treatment of critically ill COVID-19 patients in Ghana.

    The Presidential Advisor on Health, Dr Anthony Nsiah-Asare, who made this known on Tuesday, June 16, said the approval was given on Monday, June 15.

    According to him, government through the Ghana Health Service (GHS) was working with all the key stakeholders including the COVID-19 Treatment Team, to ensure the success of this intervention.

    What is convalescent plasma

    Convalescent plasma (CP) is the term used for plasma that is removed from the blood of a person who has recovered from a disease, then transfused into a patient still battling it.

    Researchers hope that CP can be given to people with severe COVID-19 to boost their ability to fight the virus. It also might help keep people who are moderately ill from becoming more ill and experiencing COVID-19 complications.

    National Blood Service

    The Chief Executive Officer of the National Blood Service, Dr Justina Ansah, had earlier at a programme to commemorate the 2020 World Blood Donor Day on Monday, June 15 explained that plasma intervention was based on research that patients who had recovered from disease outbreaks such as COVID-19, had a robust immune response to infections.

    She said the antibodies in the plasma of recovered patients could, therefore, be transfused to other COVID-19 patients to aid their recovery from the infection.

    She encouraged all recovered COVID-19 patients to step forward and donate their plasma to save the lives of other patients in critical conditions.

    Life saving drug

    Meanwhile, the BBC reports that a cheap and widely available drug called dexamethasone can help save the lives of patients who are seriously ill with COVID-19.

    According to the report, the low-dose steroid treatment is a major breakthrough in the fight against the deadly virus as it cuts the risk of death by a third for patients on ventilators, while it cuts deaths by a fifth for those on oxygen.

    It said the drug was part of the world’s biggest trial testing existing treatments to see if they also work for coronavirus.

    Source: graphic.com.gh

  • HELEH Africa donates to Covid 19 National Trust Fund

    HELEH  (Health Evolution and Lifestyle Empowerment Hub) Africa Foundation, the health arm of B-HeCK Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) alliance has donated 10,000 to the Covid 19 National Trust Fund.

    The gesture according to the Global President of HELEH Africa,  Dr Benedicta Ohene-Manu is in line with the objectives of the organisation to undertake social interventions and humanitarian projects to improve the health and living standards of Africans.

    Presenting the cheque to the fund on Thursday (June 11, 20202), Dr Ohene-Manu said the organisation is set to commit  three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000.00) towards the fight against the COVID 19 via public and private sector partnerships amidst its outlined dynamic and aggressive corporate-social-media campaigns and projects.

    She further explained that, “With the number of cases crossing the 10,000 mark in Ghana and with very close affiliates like Prof Jacob Plange-Rhule who was an awardee during the prestigious HELEH Africa 2018 award falling to the disease and also the increasing number of recoveries, the issue of social stigmatization, all inclusion and communal empowerment has become a key factor”.

    A call to duty

    Dr Ohene- Manu said the organisation therefore deem it fit to contribute it’s quota to help the nation’s effort to fight the outbreak of the disease.

    “With the situation pricking our core objective; we at HELEH Africa Foundation can’t but duly respond to the duty call to support the government and all relevant stakeholders to ensure that measures outlined to subdue the pandemic becomes successful”.

    She further stated that HELEN Africa has outlined dynamic and strategic events to that effect. “These activities include this cash donation – our widows might support the fund…but because we are well aware of the capital intensive nature of fighting such an outbreak we are also set to introduce a special corporate social media initiative dubbed the SCED challenge”.

    The SCED challenge, according to Dr Ohene-Manu, seeks to enable HELEN Africa to interlink the corporate and social sectors to eradicate stigmatisation, enhance public sensitisation, appreciate the country’s brave and selfless frontline workers while drawing from the benevolence of the general public to support the vulnerable, women and children during the Covid 19 period.

    “We shall also as part of our prime activities organise a special edition of our renowned prestigious HELEH Africa awards event to honor all recognised frontliners and stakeholders who played distinct roles in the fight against the pandemic”, she said.

    Receiving the cheque, a member of the board of trustees for the Fund,  Archbishop Justice Ofei Akrofi thanked the organisation for the gesture and also lauded HELEN Africa for focusing on advocacy against stigmatisation of Covid 19 victims.

    Source: graphic.com.gh

  • We can’t afford GHC17,000 and GHC24,000 to return to Ghana – D’Black tells Akufo-Addo

    Ghanaian rapper, D’Black isn’t amused at all about how much Ghanaians stranded in the United States of America would need to have in order to find their way back home.

    So many Ghanaians have been left stranded in the United States of America due to Coronavirus as they are unable to return home.

    Based on a post by D’Black, it seems Ghanaians currently in the United States of America who would want to come back home would need between 17, 000 and 24,000 Ghana cedis before they can do so.

    For those who would be on an Economy flight and lodge in a 3-star hotel for a mandatory quarantine, they would need 17,000 Ghana cedis.

    For those who would want to consider a Business class and a 5-star hotel for 14-days of mandatory, 24,000 Ghana cedis is needed.

    In this regard, D’Black has made it categorically clear to President Akufo Addo that majority of Ghanaians stranded in the United States of America cannot afford to spend between 17,000 and 24,000 Ghana cedis just to return to Ghana.

  • Persons who flout face mask directive to pay GHC20

    The Ho Municipal Assembly has passed a by-law to ensure the compulsory wearing of face masks in the municipality.

    The assembly directed that anyone who fails to wear nose masks in public places will be made to pay a spot fine of GHC20.

    This follows after President Akufo-Addo in his 11th address made the wearing of face masks mandatory, pointing out that the police and law enforcement agencies will enforce this directive through an Executive Instrument.

    Speaking in an interview, the Volta Regional Minister, Dr. Archibald Letsa said the Regional Security Council has positioned task force at the various assemblies to oversee the implementation of the directive.

    “The Ho Municipality passed a by-law to institute a fine of a minimum of GHS20 for those who will not comply with the directive of wearing a face mask. We are in the regional capital and we know what is going on. There is a lot of enforcement in the Ho township,” he said.

    Source: abcnewsgh.com

  • Information Minister wishes NHIA Boss well after testing positive for coronavirus

    Information Minister Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah has wished Dr Lydia Dsane-Selby, the Chief Executive Officer of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), who is recuperating from Covid-19 a speedy recovery.

    In a tweet, Mr Oppong Nkrumah said Dr Dsane-Selby was a passionate and hardworking person who was committed to the national cause.

    He wrote: “I have known Dr Dsane-Selby since my days as a media practitioner.

    ” She is a passionate and hardworking person who was supportive in the COVID-19 response programme.

    “I wish her and many others who are positive a speedy recovery from Covid-19”.

    Dr Dsane-Selby announced her COVID-19 status in a media interview on Monday, June 15, saying that she was experiencing tiredness, bodily pains and headaches.

    Consequently, she contacted a colleague at the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research who came with a team to her house to take her samples for a test.

    The test result turned out positive, therefore, she went into self- isolation to prevent her from exposing others to the virus.

    Dr Dsane-Selby also contacted those she had come into contact with to go for voluntary testing.

    She has become the fourth known government official to have tested positive for COVID-19, after Papa Owusu- Ankomah, Ghana’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Health Minister Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, and Mr Anthony K.K Sam, the Mayor of Sekondi-Takoradi, who succumbed to the disease on Friday, June 12.

     

    Source: GNA

  • Do not self-medicate newly found life-saving coronavirus drug – Physician Anesthesiologist warns

    The discovery of the common steroid dexamethasone as a treatment for coronavirus has been hailed as a “major breakthrough” but a Ghanaian Physician Anesthesiologist has warned against self-medicating the cheap and widely available drug.

    Having been available for decades, relatively cheap and readily available, Dr Nana Dadzie Ghansah of the Anesthesia Associates of Lexington says even though dexamethasone has been said to help save the lives of patients who are seriously ill with the new coronavirus disease (Covid-19), the drug should not be used in mild cases either.

    To him, doing so might weaken the immune system and make one more susceptible to getting a severe form of the disease.

    The cheap and widely available dexamethasone drug according to a report by the BBC can help save the lives of patients who are seriously ill with coronavirus.

    According to the report, the low-dose steroid treatment is a major breakthrough in the fight against the deadly virus as it cuts the risk of death by a third for patients on ventilators, while it cuts deaths by a fifth for those on oxygen.

    It said the drug was part of the world’s biggest trial testing existing treatments to see if they also work for coronavirus.

    It said the drug was already being used to reduce inflammation in a range of other conditions, and it appeared to help stop some of the damage that could happen when the body’s immune system goes into overdrive as it tries to fight off coronavirus.

    The body’s over-reaction is called a cytokine storm and it can be deadly.

     

    Reaction

    But reacting to the development, Dr Nana Dadzie Ghansah explained that preliminary data from the Recovery Trial in Oxford, UK, shows that Dexamethasone reduces mortality in patients with severe COVID-19 significantly and “That is great news.”

    “With COVID-19, it is only useful during the cytokine-storm stage of the disease,” he explained.

    “So do not self-medicate with dexamethasone as a pre – or post-exposure prophylactic,” he added.

    He also advised that it should not be used in mild cases either.

    “Doing so might weaken the immune system and make one more susceptible to getting severe form of the disease.”

    He explained that treatment is guided by inflammatory markers that are measured in a hospital.

    Moreover, after taking it for a while, it cannot be stopped abruptly since that might lead to a life-threatening condition called an Addisonian Crisis, he added.

    “So be wise! Do not self-medicate with dexamethasone or any steroid for that matter to prevent or self-treat Covid-19,” he cautioned.

    Nana Dadzie Ghansah is a former Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology at the University of Kentucky and also a former Resident Physician at Emory University School of Medicine. He studied Medicine at the University of Leipzig, Germany.

    Oxford trial

    Meanwhile, according to the BBC report, in the trial, led by a team from Oxford University, around 2,000 hospital patients were given dexamethasone and were compared with nearly 4,000 who did not get the drug.

    For patients on ventilators it cut death risk from 40% to 28%. For patients needing oxygen it cut death risk from 25% to 20%.

    Chief investigator Prof Peter Horby said: “This is the only drug so far that has been shown to reduce mortality and it reduces it significantly. It’s a major breakthrough.”

    Lead researcher Prof Martin Landray says the findings suggest that for every eight patients needing ventilators that you treat, you could save one life.

    In patients on oxygen, you save one life for every 20-25 or so treated with the drug.

    “There is a clear, clear benefit. The treatment is up to 10 days of dexamethasone and it costs about £5 per patient. So essentially, it costs £35 to save a life. This is a drug that is globally available.”

    Prof Landray said, when appropriate, hospital patients should now be given it without delay, but people should not go out and buy it to take at home.

    Dexamethasone does not appear to help people with milder symptoms of coronavirus – people who don’t need help with their breathing.

    The Recovery Trial has been running since March and included the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine that has now been ditched amid concerns that it increases fatalities and heart problems.

    Another drug called remdesivir, an antiviral treatment that appears to shorten recovery time for people with coronavirus, is already being made available on the NHS in the UK.

    What is dexamethasone and what has it been used for until now?

    A report by Sky News has been explaining the history of the drug, what the research around its effectiveness in COVID-19 patients actually find, and what are its possible side-effects?

    It is a widely used steroid drug, known as a corticosteroid, which works to reduce inflammation.

    In use since the early 1960s, it treats a range of conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis and asthma.

    The drug can work to prevent the immune system from destroying blood platelets in people with blood disorders and is also used in end-of-life care

    People with a brain tumour may also be prescribed dexamethasone to reduce swelling around the tumour.

    What did the study on coronavirus patients find?

    A total of 2,104 patients received 6mg of dexamethasone once a day by mouth or intravenous injection for 10 days.

    Researchers then compared their outcomes with those of a control group of 4,321 patients.

    They found that – over a 28-day period – the death rate among patients requiring ventilation was 41%, and for those needing oxygen it was 25%.

    The figure was 13% among those not requiring respiratory intervention.

    However, there was no change in deaths among patients who did not require respiratory support.

    How much does it cost?

    It is relatively cheap, with researchers putting the cost of a course of treatment for eight people seriously ill with coronavirus at £40.

    Dexamethasone is also available globally at cheap prices, allowing lower income countries to benefit.

    What are the potential side-effects?

    The UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) lists the following conditions as common or very common side-effects of all corticosteroids, including dexamethasone:

    Anxiety; behaviour abnormal; cataract subcapsular; cognitive impairment; Cushing’s syndrome; electrolyte imbalance; fatigue; fluid retention; gastrointestinal discomfort; headache; healing impaired; hirsutism; hypertension; increased risk of infection; menstrual cycle irregularities; mood altered; nausea; osteoporosis; peptic ulcer; psychotic disorder; skin reactions; sleep disorders; weight increase.

    More uncommon side-effects include increased appetite, eye disorders, heart failure, seizure, tuberculosis reactivation and vertigo.

    Further warnings around side-effects centre on increased risks associated with prolonged therapy with corticosteroids, which is unlikely to be the case with patients suffering from COVID-19.

    However, those taking corticosteroids are advised to take special care to avoid exposure to chicken pox – unless they have previously had the illness – and measles, both of which are believed to place a patient at greater risk.

    The NICE guidance also says systemic corticosteroids, particularly in high doses, are linked to “psychiatric reactions including euphoria, insomnia, irritability, mood lability, suicidal thoughts, and behavioural disturbances”

    Additional files for this report is from the BBC and Skynews

    Source: Graphic.com.gh 

  • Koforidua residents swarm Jackson Park for TIN numbers despite coronavirus

    Hundreds of applicants on Tuesday swarmed the Koforidua Jackson Park to register for Tax Identification Number (TIN) with the Ghana Revenue Authority to enable them access the COVID-19 Relief Fund for SMEs.

    The applicants were relocated from the GRA office after crowding the office on Monday, however, officials again were unable to control the crowd to enforce social distancing protocol.

    Though majority of the applicants were wearing nose masks, the gathering of large crowd raises serious public health concerns with fear that it could spread coronavirus in the regional capital which has already recorded a spike in the number of confirmed cases which currently stands at 32.

    President Akufo-Addo on April 5,2020 announced the establishment of the Coronavirus Alleviation Programme (CAP), as part of measures to effectively manage social and economic recovery in Ghana.

    An amount of GH¢1.2 billion was subsequently earmarked towards its implementation. Out of this, an initial commitment of Six Hundred Million Cedis (GH¢600 million) was set out as soft loan scheme for SMEs in the country.

    According to the National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI), the main government institution in charge of implementing the programme, the interventions will be rolled out in the form of grants and soft loans, via participating institutions banks, microfinance, mobile lenders, NGOs that, the amount and type of financial support provided will vary depending on the size of the enterprise, their need, and repayment capacity.

    The soft loans will be for a period of 3 years, one-year moratorium and two-year repayment period.

    One of the key requirements for eligible beneficiaries -Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) is the TIN hence the rush to obtain it .

    Coronavirus cases in the Eastern region have jumped from 214 as of Friday to 235 on Sunday, June 14, 2020, the Ghana Health Service has announced.

    One more person has died of COVID-19 in the region bringing the total number of confirmed deaths to three(3).

    The latest fatality occurred on June 12, 2020. The deceased was among patients on admission at Covid-19 treatment centre in the region.

    The first death recorded was a Senior Police officer who died on May 29,2020, while a health worker also died few days ago.

    Currently, eighteen(18) of thirty-three(33) districts/Municipalities in the region have recorded cases.

    New Juaben South, Kwahu West and Akauapem North are the hotspots areas.

     

    Source: Starr FM