Dr. Nii Nortey Hanson Nortey (left) presenting the items to Dr. Patrick Kuma Aboagye
Aurum Institute Ghana, a leading healthcare organization focused on battling the global scourge of tuberculosis (TB), has donated sputum containers and educational materials to the Ghana Health Service (GHS).
The items are aimed at aiding GHS activities including testing of samples for Coronavirus (Covid-19) and public education on its prevention.
The institute also presented anti-stigmatization materials to sensitize the public against discriminating against Covid-19 patients, an act the Institute believes can impede Ghana’s fight against the pandemic.
Making the donation, Country Director of Aurum Institute, Dr. Nii Nortey Hanson Nortey lauded the GHS for the efforts made so far in the fight to contain the virus.
He however, appealed for sustained education especially among persons living with TB and HIV since the infection has dire consequences for such groups.
Director-General of the GHS, Dr. Patrick Kuma Aboagye receiving the items said the GHS is committed to tackling other killer diseases in the country as it battles the Covid-19.
“One area of concern to us now is to ensure that our continuity plans for other disease remain intact so Covid-19 doesn’t take us away from what we are doing and create other health problems,” he said.
Dr Aboagye who identified linkages between TB and Covid-19, stressed the need for the public to stop stigmatizing persons suspected of the disease so as to encourage effective isolation and treatment.
“Stigma is the major barrier we have to deal with in this fight. Our fear is that if it drives people on the ground, efforts to isolate them becomes difficult and gets the virus back into the society,” he said.
The Director-General assured that the items donated would be used for its intended purpose to support efforts in containing the spread of the disease.
Ghana has recorded 5,127 cases of Covid-19 with 22 deaths and 494 recoveries as at May 12.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri