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Coronavirus: WHO identifies gaps in Ghana’s preparedness and response activities

A World Health Organisation (WHO) report on Ghana’s preparedness for a potential coronavirus infection (COVID-19) outbreak shows that there are some challenges the country needs to overcome to have a complete action plan.

The commissioned report said as of February 14, 2020, there were gaps in the country’s action plan.

In the opening of the five-paged report, the organization said: “Using WHO’s Country Readiness checklist, Ghana assessed its capacities to respond to any suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 and identified gaps to plan for preparedness, response, and control activities.”

Ghana, however, scored high for the capacity to test for the virus which has killed over 2, 000 people.

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“So far, 15 suspected cases have been tested for with all 15 testing negative for COVID-19.”

“Ghana is classified among Priority 1 countries in WHO Africa region for at being at risk based on flights and passenger volumes,” the report stated.

The challenges identified by the WHO are about Ghana’s preparedness, response, and control activities against coronavirus include the following:

- Inadequate funding to implement the various preparedness activities planned.

- Support from Government so far has gone towards the provision of PPEs, coordination activities, health declaration forms.

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- Additional funding will be required to implement the remaining activities.

The virus which was first discovered in China has currently been recorded in over 10 more countries.

WHO’s Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, says the outbreak had “pandemic potential.”

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