The Bureau of Public Safety has described as insufficient, the information provided by the government on the COVID-19 cases in Ghana.
The Ministry of Health announced the two confirmed cases which involve a Norwegian national and a Ghanaian worker in Turkey on Thursday, March 12, 2020.
According to the Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, the two persons who tested positive for coronavirus in Ghana have been in the country for about a week.
Despite lauding the swift announcement, the Bureau believes the government failed to provide answers to some key questions.
In a statement signed by the Executive Director of the Bureau, Nana Yaw Akwaada raised four questions to the government to help allay the fears of the public and highlight the state’s preparedness to contain the pandemic.
Here is the full release:
The Bureau of Public Safety wishes to call on the Heath and Information Ministers to immediately convene another press briefing session and disclose further and better particulars about the two confirmed imported cases of COVID-19.
The Ghanaian public, and indeed suspected persons at risk deserve to know the following:
1. Were the two persons picked by the State’s surveillance system at the port of entry or the two checked into a facility by themselves?
2. What date and time did the two arrive in the jurisdiction?
3. What flight did they arrive on?
4. How is the State going to trace contacts around these two infected persons?
“We are of a firm conviction that answers to the above will help curb the fears of the public and build greater confidence within the system, and the State’s preparedness to contain the pandemic. We wish to further request the managers of COVID-19 surveillance and management system in Ghana to always make as much information available as possible in times like this”, the statement added.
Use funds for infrastructure, sensitization
Earlier, the Bureau applauded President Nana Akufo-Addo’s directive for the release of funds to fight the deadly coronavirus in Ghana.
But quickly suggested that a large portion of the money should be channelled into infrastructure and public sensitization.
“Allocating that amount of money is in order. We are looking at the state channelling all that money into the public health system especially. We need to strengthen our surveillance system so that cases could be detected early. Severe forms of coronavirus infection require the use of ventilators. Currently, our investigations show that Korle Bu is one of the centres has only two ventilators which are inadequate. So I think we can use that money for the equipment and infrastructure side. We are looking at education because we think every Ghanaian needs to know about it. So we are expecting that within the shortest possible time, awareness campaigns will be rolling out”, Executive Director of the Bureau, Nana Yaw Akwada.
COVID -19 in Ghana
The two cases according to the Health Minister, tested positive after laboratory tests from the Noguchi Memorial Institute of Medical Research.
According to the Health Minister, the cases were reported as ‘imported cases’ as both individuals returned to Ghana from Norway and Turkey.
“Both individuals returned to Ghana from Norway and Turkey. So these are imported cases of COVID-19.”
The Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah on the Citi Breakfast Show on Friday said the two persons who tested positive to the virus had been in the country for about a week.