Coronavirus: All nine suspected cases reported in Ghana test negative, according to the Health Service

The cases included the two recent ones reported at the Korle bu Teaching Hospital on Wednesday, February 5, 2020.

The health service said this in a statement it released.

It said, “We wish to assure the people of Ghana that the Government, Ministry of Health/Ghana Health Service working in collaboration with partners are doing everything possible to prevent and protect against the importation of the virus into the country and prevent spread.”

Update on Ghana’s preparedness towards the fight against coronavirus

The Greater Accra Regional Hospital, Ridge has put in place a comprehensive system to handle coronavirus cases should there be any in the country.

Medical Director, Dr Emmanuel Srofenyo who took journalists on a tour of some of the wards designated for such cases said the hospital is ready to handle any coronavirus case brought before it.

“An emergency response team in the hospital has been activated and strengthened with additional members of staff. Currently, we have 26 nurses, and nine doctors on standby for deployment to the centre.

“We have security men and orderlies. And we have trained and updated them on the physiological and pathological nature of the virus,” he said.

He added that the hospital has gone further to make available as many protective equipments as possible and has deployed them to the two-special coronavirus centres.

“We have also created an elaborate process map – the processes an indicated case will go through once we discover you at the emergency that you might be somebody who is a suspect or confirmed. Four rooms have been set out for suspected cases with elaborate systems.”

Although the Ridge Hospital is putting the necessary measures in place to be able to handle the cases, Dr Srofenyo said more doctors will be needed for main hospital work and called on the government to deploy them in time.

“All these people have to be trained ahead of time, we cannot just subject them to the environment when they have not been given adequate training. So, we have security men, nurses and doctors on board.

“The implication then is that these staff work in the main hospital so when we deploy them to the centres, there is going to be a shortage at the main hospital and that is why we would like to appeal to government to send us more of the technical staff, especially nurses and additional doctors so that the preparedness plan can work.

“Because much as we are treating these patients that may come, we do not want to compromise on the work that is done on the main side,” he added.