As at 8th May, 2020, the cumulative number of COVID-19 cases recorded in Ghana was 4, 263, 378 recoveries, 22 deaths. Between 7th and 8th May total of 251 new cases was recorded with the majority from the Greater Accra Region. Out of 1,300 workers in an industrial facility, 533 have tested positive for COVID-19, which is part of the 251 new cases.
The decision to relax Ghana's restriction on social gathering in the fight against the COVID-19 must be based on data and science. The results and data that Ghana has is a cumulative data which we have from the backlog, this data does not give us the daily incidence data, ie infection rate. It therefore scientifically premature to make the conclusion that Ghana has gotten to its peak and hence make the prediction of flattening of the epicurve. Scientific prediction is based on quality data available and it's analysis. This is not so from the Ghana Health service website, unless there is any data that the you and I are not preview to. We can also see mortality increasing from 18 to 22 which calls for a lot of concern. We need a lot of information about these cases, ie is there any travelling history, is there any comorbidity, when did their condition become critical , their age and sex without necessarily naming them for confidential purposes. This will help to allay the fears and anxiety of Ghanaians. Also, the 533 cases from the industrial facility calls for concern, this tells us that we have now migrated from the vertical route ( imported) of transmission to the horizontal route( community) transmission. When we get to the community level, Ghana must prepare itself for the worst by preparing itself, ie the health facilities and health workers to be able to manage in case we get more critically ill patients who need hosputalization. Based on the data and science available, Ghana can not relax her restriction on the fight against the COVID-19, any attempt to relax our restriction will not only be grandiose delusion but very dangerous to the health and the welfare of all Ghanaians. It will take a healthy workforce to increase productivity. Ghana must start preparing for the worst case scenario. There is a call from religious bodies to lift ban on social gathering, but as it stands now, we have to at least give ourselves two more weeks from the data and science that is available. There need to be effective and prompt communication on the daily incidence rate and up to speed update on critically ill patients, we can not just be seeing about four mortality added without any adequate information on these cases, communication at this time need to be honest and open with professionalism in mind. FOHA disagree with the position of Deputy Director of Public Health, Dr.Badu Sarkodie that Ghana has reached it's peak, unless there is a data that he and the Director of Ghana Health service has access to. Communication from National to regional levels need to be intensified and strategized, let the education be intensified at all levels, more collaborative effort needs to employed in order to avoid duplication of efforts.
Rev. Jefferson Agbotro
MSC OD
CEO, FOHA
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