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COVID-19: Frontline health workers are fatigued – Ghana Medical Association

The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has warned that the country’s health facilities may not be able to contain a second wave of COVID-19 infections.

COVID-19: Frontline health workers are fatigued – Ghana Medical Association

General Secretary of the GMA, Dr. Justice Yankson, said frontline health workers are already fatigued after a difficult year.

He noted that many Ghanaians let their guards down during the election period and the Christmas festivities.

“Clearly our activities during the Christmas, New Year, before, during and after the election put together like one month period has contributed to what we all are experiencing now, that is why we are asking that we observe the COVID protocols to break the chain of transmission,” he said on Asaase Radio.

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“If we don’t do that and this second wave gets out of hand then we are going to struggle. Mind you the health professionals themselves are already fatigued, having gone through this for a whole year, they are also fatigued, a lot of them are getting infection because people are walking into the health facilities unlike previously when you will be at home and they will reach out to you.”

Ghana’s Coronavirus situation seemed to be improving towards the end of 2020 but there’s been a spike in cases in recent weeks.

Currently, the country has 1,330 active cases while 338 persons have died in the process, according to data from the Ghana Health Service.

Meanwhile, the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) says it hasn’t approved any COVID-19 vaccine to be sold in Ghana.

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The FDA, therefore, cautioned the public to be wary unscrupulous persons peddling information on the sale of COVID-19 vaccines to hospitals.

In a statement, the Authority said the approved vaccines are from well-known pharmaceutical brands and are not yet on sale in Ghana.

"It has come to the attention of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) that some unscrupulous members of the business community are peddling information on the sale of COVID-19 vaccines to hospitals and other health facilities,” the statement said.

“The information is ostensibly to inform the general public of the availability of these vaccines from well known pharmaceutical brands indicating their price ranges.”

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The FDA further warned that selling unapproved vaccines is in contravention of the Public Health Act, which constitutes a serious offence.

“In the view of the above, the FDA wishes to inform such health facilities and the general public that, peddling such information contravenes Section 118 of the Public Health Act 2012, Act 851 and constitutes a very serious offence.

“The general public is hereby cautioned against patronage of such vaccines since the FDA has not approved any COVID-19 for use in Ghana,” the statement added.

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