COVID-19

Go Beyond a Lockdown and Provide PPEs to Health Workers – John Mahama tells Akufo-Addo

Published

5 years ago

April 4, 2020

Accra Mail

Following a campaign and decision by the government to get Ghanaians to stay home in attempts to avoid the spread of the novel Coronavirus, Former President John Dramani Mahama has appealed for the directive to be adhered to and for Ghanaians to as much as possible stay home.

“We must all continue to cooperate with these directives and STAY HOME. We need to stay home to prevent a faster spread of the COVID-19 virus and slow the rate of infection,” the former President said in a statement issued on Friday.

The National Democratic Congress flagbearer charged the government to step up its efforts at fighting the pandemic by making available logistics to health workers and go beyond a lockdown.

Following reports of threats by some health workers to pull out of the fight against COVID-19 due to lack of Personal Protective Equipments, Mr. Mahama said “While we observe the period of lockdown, it is incumbent on Government to also take urgent action to resolve some of the obvious shortcomings in our response to the pandemic. The unpleasant news of an eminent strike by health workers at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital because of the poor response to COVID-19 is most disturbing.

The situation in Korle Bu is not an isolated case. Complaints of lack of PPEs and isolation facilities are coming from many health facilities across the country and it is important that steps are taken to identify areas of urgent need and supply the resources and logistics needed to build the confidence of our frontline health workers to battle this disease.”

The imposition of restrictions the former President noted comes with consequences which must be tackled to cushion Ghanaians.

He proposed the use of the Stabilization Fund to “build some additional buffers for the economy. The use of the fund should be directed at cushioning the general population through this period of economic slowdown. These measures may include short term temporary tariff relief in respect of utilities.”