The Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists is calling on the government to provide special allowances for its members who it says has been crucial in the fight against COVID-19.
Speaking to Citi News, the Public Relations Officer of the Association, Dr Dennis Adu Gyasi explained that its personnel have not been paid allowances as promised.
They were expecting “a 50 percent allowance to frontline workers, an allowance for contact tracing personnel and insurance for those who got infected in the line of duty,” he said.
“This is the time we need these frontline workers and I think the government should take steps to ensure that these things are rectified, so we don’t get apathy breeding from these professionals,” he added.
Dr. Dennis Adu Gyasi also called on the government to procure more testing kits.
But since Ghana currently only imports them, the association suggested that “the government puts in the necessary request in place to shorten the time people get the consignment” as this will help to effectively manage the COVID-19 cases without experiencing shortages in kits.
With basic schools resuming today, January 18, 2021, the association had assured that it is prepared to assist in the management of COVID-19 cases following the resumption of schools from their Coronavirus-induced break.
The group said that its 18 testing facilities across the country, other assisting centres, as well as the private institutions, were equipped to test samples due to reopening of schools.