Dr. Letsa and Ag. CEO of HTH, Dr. Tampouri briefing Kwaku Agyeman-Manu
The University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) in the Volta Region will soon begin testing for COVID-19.
This was announced by Minister for Health, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu in Ho, when he paid a surprise visit to the regional capital to ascertain the preparedness and operations of the Regional Health Directorate of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) and the Ho Teaching Hospital (HTH) regarding isolation and treatment of suspected/confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the enclave.
The Minister who arrived in an airforce airplane at the Ho Aerodrome was welcomed by the Regional Minister, Dr. Archibald Yao Letsa, Ag. CEO of the HTH, Dr. John Tampouri and officials of the Regional Health Directorate who conducted the Health Minister round to get acquainted with the work so far.
Mr. Agyeman-Manu who was elated by the work on the ground by the Teaching Hospital and UHAS with the support and assistance from the Regional Coordinating Council and the Regional Health Directorate announced that “I want to assure the people of the Volta region that in the next few days, testing of COVID-19 will begin in the University of Health and Allied Sciences Laboratory.”
Prior to the announcement, the Public Affairs Director, Maria Bernadine Gwira, had hinted that UHAS had the personnel qualified enough to undertake COVID 19 testing.
However, she said, the resources to do so were lacking.
She made this revelation when she apprised the media on strategies employed by UHAS and HTH to sensitise the public and manage COVID-19 cases in the region.
DGN Online sources at UHAS and HTH have hinted that personnel from the National COVID-19 Response team and Noguchi had earlier visited the area to access the laboratories at UHAS and get them ready for COVID-19 testing.
To this end, the Health Minster’s announcement has been welcomed by many in the region as a good move and a boost to the only university in Ghana dedicated to health and allied sciences.
This new testing facility will add to Noguchi Memorial Institute of Medical Research in Accra and the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research.
The UHAS’s testing facility will take care of samples from the newly created Oti region and portions of Eastern region which are much closer to the Volta Region.
UHAS which is in its ninth year is currently building the largest laboratory in West Africa capable of undertaking all kinds of health and allied science experiments and research as far as teaching and learning are concerned.
No Cases in Volta
Dr. Letsa used the occasion to dispel rumours that the region had recorded some COVID-19 cases and was hiding it from the public.
According to him, all suspected cases had turned out to be negative.
From Fred Duodu, Ho (k.duodu@yahoo.com)