Measures taken against the spread of Coronavirus (Update No. 8)—His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo
- An additional thirty-two thousand, and thirty-one (32,031) samples have been analyzed, bringing the number of tests made so far, from sixty-eight thousand, five hundred and ninety-one (68,591) to one hundred thousand, six hundred and twenty-two (100,622). From this pool, the total number of confirmed infections have gone up from one thousand, and forty-two (1,042) to one thousand, five hundred and fifty (1,550).
- One hundred and fifty-five (155) persons have recovered. Two (2) more persons have died, who, like the other nine (9) are of persons with underlying health issues; bringing the total number of deaths to eleven (11).
- The positivity rate, i.e. the rate of infection from the sampled, continues to remain constant at 1.5%. Six (6) persons are critically ill, and the remaining one thousand three hundred and seventy eight (1,378) have mild or no symptoms at all, and are responding to treatment.
- The strategy of enhanced 3Ts, i.e. tracing and testing to allow us identify infected persons and isolating and treating them shall be pursued vigorously as it is the surest way to root out the virus.
- To avoid contracting the virus, the President admonished each and every one to continue practicing social distancing, washing of hands with soap under running water, refrain from shaking hands and wearing masks whenever we leave our homes.
- In addition to the incentive package given to all health workers, Government has enabled domestic production and supply of protective equipment to our health workers to increase significantly, by receiving in recent days, nine hundred and five thousand, and thirty-one (905,031) nose masks, thirty-one thousand six hundred and thirty (31,630) medical scrubs, thirty-one thousand four hundred and seventy-two (31,472) gowns, forty-six thousand eight hundred and seventy (46,870) head covers, and eighty-three thousand five hundred (83, 500) N-95 face masks.
- The President acknowledged the directives by the Minister for Health, which guides the production of nose masks, and the wearing of them by all and sundry.
- Two more weeks have been added to the suspension of all public and social gatherings, as set out in the E.I. 64 of 15th March, 2020, effective Monday, 27th April, 2020.
- The President expressed his appreciation to transport operators, passengers, businesses and supermarkets who are enforcing the need for social distancing, the use of hand sanitizers and the wearing of masks for all patrons and staff.
- “The example of markets in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis, where social distancing is being well observed, is an excellent one for market women all over the country”—His Excellency the President of the Republic advised.
- Unfortunately some individuals who are citizens of our land have been aiding some West African nationals to enter our country illegally, despite the closure of our borders. The President cautioned these persons, and urged them to stop these unpatriotic acts.
- The President announced the construction of eighty-eight (88) district hospitals to be distributed as follow:
Ashanti | 10 |
Volta | 9 |
Central | 8 |
Eastern | 7 |
Greater Accra | 7 |
Upper East | 5 |
Northern | 5 |
Oti | 5 |
Upper West | 5 |
Bono | 4 |
Western North | 4 |
Western | 3 |
Ahafo | 3 |
Savanah | 2 |
Bono East | 2 |
North East Region | 2 |
13. Each of these hospitals will be a one hundred-bed facility of the same quality and standard-design, with accommodation for doctors, nurses and other health workers.
14. The President also stated, that plans are in place for the construction of six (6) new regional hospitals in the six (6) new regions, and the rehabilitation of the Efia-Nkwanta Hospital, in Sekondi, which is the regional hospital of the Western Region.
15. Three (3) infectious disease control centers for each of the zones of Ghana are going to be established, i.e. Coastal, Middle Belt and Northern, with the overall objective of setting up a Ghana Centre for Disease Control.
16. The investments being made in the healthcare system is self-evidently necessary to serve the needs of 21st century Ghana.
17. The three (3) development Authorities, the Zongo Development Fund, and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies will be tasked to place health infrastructure amongst their highest priorities in the coming years.
18. The President asserted, that side by side with the investment in the physical infrastructure of our public health system, Ghana will have to intensify its policies for the growth of our domestic pharmaceutical industry, so that it can generate its own medicines and medical supplies and products. The President also said that the country should no longer be dependent on foreign imports.
19. Further, the National Health Insurance Scheme is, currently, in a stronger position, as a result of the significant reduction in outstanding arrears.
20. The President assured that very soon he will outline the path for bringing the restrictive measures systematically to an end, and define the measures for the revival and growth of our national economy.
21. “The virus is the enemy, and not one another. We must be resolute in our unity to defeat this invisible enemy. No country on earth has been spared the ravages of this virus, and my single-minded goal is how to steer the country out of this crisis, protect our population from the virus, and see to the rebuilding of our economy. Nothing else matters for me.”—His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo.