Ghana: Over 2000 Health Workers Infected With COVID-19

About 2000 health workers are infected with COVID-19 in Ghana as the nation becomes the second hardest-hit by the pandemic in West Africa.

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The country's Health Service reported that as of Friday, a total of 2,065 workers tested positive for the virus, and another 1,870 others had recovered.

On July 9, national doctors, nurses and pharmacist associations alongside the health service workers union urged the government to take immediate action to guarantee that medical staff had enough protective gear, enforcing infection prevention protocols in health facilities, and speeding the processing of test results as they are afraid of a calamity in the sector.

The director-general of the Health Service Patrick Kumah-Aboagye said that conditions have improved as the government has tried to encourage health workers by providing tax breaks and financial incentives for doctors and nurses in the line of duty as well as reinforcing hospitals with more equipment.

However, unlike other African countries, the health sector in Ghana has not to strike amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and only six health workers have died since the virus hit the country. Another 183 remains under treatment in isolation centers or isolated at home.

The most prominent infections among medical staff are found in The Greater Accra region, which accounts for over 50% of the caseload with 14,391 cases.

Further, President Akufo-Addo announced today that individual academic institutions, as well as religious places, could resume their activities although the borders remain close. Likewise, social gatherings can be up to 100 people.

Today Ghana records 26 572 COVID-19 cases; 144 deaths and 22,915 recovered.