In a statement, the GMA said the best way to combat the rising number of COVID-19 cases is to ramp up testing.
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Ghana Medical Association urges Gov’t to make COVID-19 testing free
The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has called on the government to make COVID-19 testing free for the public.
Ghana Medical Association urges Gov’t to make COVID-19 testing free
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The Association said the testing "should be made free or relatively cheaper for the ordinary Ghanaian who needs testing as a result of direct exposure or when symptomatic for COVID-19.”
"The GMA believes these will help address the current shortfalls in our testing and contact tracing regimes," a section of the statement said.
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Ghana Medical Association
Pulse Ghana
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 1,404 active cases while 341 persons have died in the process, according to data from the Ghana Health Service.
The GMA urged the government to implement free mass testing in all identified COVID-19 hotspots and also equip frontline health workers with the necessary PPEs.
"The COVID-19 situation in the country is alarming and dire at this particular moment. The risk of potential exponential rise in the number of cases cannot be discounted,” the statement added.
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This comes after the General Secretary of the GMA, Dr. Justice Yankson, earlier warned that the country’s health facilities may not be able to contain a second wave of COVID-19 infections.
Dr. 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.”
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