Joseph Krampah, PRO for the Registered Nurses and Midwives Association, Ghana is saying that they have had enough of the promises from the government over the delivery of Personal protective equipment (PPEs) for the frontline workers in the fight against the Coronavirus (COVID-19).
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On a national broadcast Sunday evening, President Akufo-Addo was first to admit “it is vital that we protect the lives of our frontline health workers, who are risking their lives every day to battle this virus.”
He said it was the reason “why the Government is placing a high priority on the procurement of personal protective equipment (PPEs) for them.”
“Three hundred and fifty thousand (350,000) masks, five hundred and fifty-eight thousand, six hundred and fifty (558,650) examination gloves, one thousand (1,000) reusable goggles, twenty thousand (20,000) cover-alls, seven thousand (7,000) N-95 respirators, five hundred (500) waterproof gumboots, two thousand (2,000) reusable face shields, two thousand (2,000) gallons of hand sanitizers, ten thousand (10,000) 100ml pieces of hand sanitizers, and five hundred (500) shoe covers have been sent to the regional health directorates, for onward distribution to the district health directorates for use by our health workers in all the districts.”
But in an interview on the Happy Morning Show (HMS) with Samuel Eshun says government must walk the talk. “We’ve always heard of promises but we are not getting any of the PPEs. Do they want us to get the disease before giving us the equipment?”
The president also announced that effective April 2020, all frontline health workers in the pandemic fight will among other things receive and an additional allowance of 50% of the basic salary per month for the next three months as well as a three month tax holiday because of their contribution.
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According to Krampah “The initiative is good and we are grateful. But it goes beyond these people. Every nurse or midwife everywhere is exposed. Even to the basic unit which is the CHPS compound, everyone is exposed. So for the stimulus packages that were announced, we are thankful for the tax waivers which we believe will cover all of us. But the bit of allowances is what we wish should cover every one of us because we are all exposed in doing our bits in helping the nation identify to contain and manage [the virus]. We are also grateful for the availability of buses. As a union, we are also helping to assist in this direction.”
Korle-Bu doctors threaten to withdraw services
Doctors at the Department of Accident and Emergency at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital threatened to lay down their tools over the supposed lack of COVID-19 preparedness by the hospital.
However, Two staff of the Korle-Bu hospital have been reported to be tested positive for COVID-19.