Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh
The Minister of Education, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, aka Napo, has been discharged from the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) after he was admitted for symptoms of Covid-19.
A statement issued on the subject by his press secretary, Rodney Nkrumah-Boateng, indicated that the minister was currently resting at home.
The statement said he was discharged “with a positive rapid antibody test result and will be further monitored.”
The minister, through the statement, thanked all who wished him well during his time in hospital.
Dr. Prempeh is the second high-profile government official to have been discharged after undergoing treatment for Covid-19 symptoms.
The Health Minister, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, was himself at the UGMC for Covid-19 treatment a few weeks ago and has since recovered and resumed work.
Finance Ministry
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning has directed all its staff members to work from home after a mass Covid-19 testing exercise was conducted at the ministry.
Although the test results are yet to be released, an internal memo from the office of the chief director and signed by Patrick Nomo indicated that staff members who would test positive for the virus would be informed “and will receive the necessary care from appropriate health authorities designated by the Minister of Health.”
“In view of the preparations towards the mid-year review of the budget, a core team of staff will work from approved location to complete the Mid-Year Review,” the memo also noted.
It said staff would be duly informed about the appropriate date to return to the office to work while urging them to continue to adhere to the safety protocols which had been put in place at the ministry to ensure their protection against Covid-19.
“Our no ‘Face Mask, No Entry’ campaign remains in force and it is now backed by an executive instrument. The ministry remains committed to protecting staff and ensuring your health and safety and will continue to ensure adherence to the protocols while carrying out our mandate,” the memo stated.
A number of government institutions have had to take similar measures in a bid to control the rate of Covid-19 infections at their facilities after results of tests conducted on a number of staff returned positive.
Institutions like the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation (BOST) have shut down while COCOBOD has said it is closing down its Accra head office for a two-day fumigation exercise.
Ghana’s foremost health centre, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, has announced that it is suspending all non-emergency surgical cases for two weeks.
GHS Warning
The Ghana Health Service (GHS) had warned about a fortnight ago that the infection mode was now at the workplace noting that since the lockdown was lifted, Covid-19 cases had been recorded in some specific industries and government agencies.
GHS Director General Dr. Patrick Kumah Aboagye had said at a press conference a fortnight ago that confirmed Covid-19 cases were being recorded in oil and gas companies, media houses and government agencies in particular but did not give any figure for the cases recorded in those areas.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri