Dr Da Costa Aboagye
Director of Health Promotion at the Ghana Health Service, Dr Da Costa Aboagye has cautioned against many Ghanaians who have lowered the adherence to the safety protocols with the belief that the new coronavirus is no longer with us.
According to him, the new coronavirus is still with the country even though the infection rate remains low due to the proper measures put in place by the government and the stakeholders in the fight against the Covid-19
Speaking on Neat FM’s Me Man Nti Morning Show, Dr Aboagye said that the efforts of the government and all the stakeholders show to ensure the safety of Ghanaians should not waste away as people still remain adamant to adhere to the safety protocols.
To him, Ghanaians should not be swollen-headed by the news that the infection rate is down in the country but rather it should be enough ground to eradicate the pandemic finally from the country by intensifying the safety protocols.
“I will continue to advise Ghanaians about Covid-19 and let them know that the virus is still living with us though the infection rate has reduced due to the proper measures in place by the government”.
“As the infection rate remains low, we have to make sure that it continues to reduce further down till we eradicate the pandemic from the country. So, people should not stop wearing their face masks, regular washing of hands and regular exercise. This is the time to intensify them in order to finally eradicate it. I will plead with Ghanaians that the Covid-19 is still with us; it is not gone yet”.
He however commended the government, the Ghana Health Service, Ministry of Health, Information Ministry, the media and other stakeholders for their continues efforts in the fight against the Covid-19.
The frontline health workers at the various healthcare centres working day and night to save lives and that is why we are here today.
Dr Aboagye hinted that the initial stringent measures of the government when two cases were reported in the country have gone a long way to curtail the spread of the pandemic in the country.
He added that the introduction of limiting importation of the virus by closing the airport and the borders in order not to bring the virus into the country helped to contain the pandemic; thus, the strategy of the government and the medical team to start tracing and testing of suspected persons from the time the country recorded its first two cases have been of great relief to the country.
“From the 12th March we recorded our first two cases up to date, we were able to trace and test over 400,000 people and out of the 400,000 people we tested, almost about 43,000 people tested positive; about 10 percent of them tested positive”, he said.
“The 43,000 positive cases if it is not the proper measures put up by the government, the pandemic would have overwhelmed the country. Out of the 43,000 positive cases, about 42,246 of them have recovered and discharged and that is why we have active cases of about 1,300”, he added.
He was of the view that the Covid-19 pandemic would have destabilized the country today if it has not been measures the government put in place to trace all generations contact of the positive cases.
He admonished that Ghanaians will have themselves to blame should they take things for granted in spite of the measures put in place by government to be adhered to; bemoaning that Ghanaians still don’t want to comply with the measures.
“This is because, the health workers are doing their best to save lives and government and other stakeholders like Ghana Health Service, Ministry of Health including the media is creating awareness, campaign and education about the Covid-19 in communities, lorry stations and churches and people still remain adamant and take this for granted then they are playing with their lives”, he stressed.