Coronavirus: Don’t lift ban on social gatherings – GMA tells gov't

The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) is pleading with the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, not to lift the ban on social gatherings for religious activities, schools, marriage ceremonies, funerals and other social events.

GMA also wants a continued closure of the country’s borders to prevent the importation of new

Read full articlehref='/GhanaHomePage/people/person.php?ID=3454'>COVID-19 cases from other jurisdictions.

This, the GMA believes, will help in the collective fight of the novel coronavirus in the country.

Some heads of the Christian Ecumenical Bodies have been expressing their preparedness to resume church activities. They have presented a proposal to the government to clearly spell out modalities under which they can safely perform their programmes without endangering the lives of congregants.

In the said proposal sighted by GhanaWeb, the churches are advocating strict adherence to all the precautionary measures prescribed against the fight of the Coronavirus, which includes separating seating areas for the aged.

It is unclear why these leaders will want to put the health of their various congregations at risk.

But officials of the Ghana Medical Associations (GMA) in their latest communiqué stated that the Coronavirus pandemic is real and is still a major health threat to all persons living in the country.

In a statement copied to GhanaWeb on Saturday, May 9, 2020, the GMA noted that there have been a “seeming disregard for all the preventive measures put in place by large sections of the population” and added that the number of new COVID-19 positive cases in the country are mostly from community spread.

They, however, urged that “Government must ensure prompt and continuous distribution of PPEs to all health workers at their various institutions (or place of work) at all times. This will guarantee the safety of all health workers as they continue to render care to patients.”

Ghana on May 9, 2020, recorded 251 positive cases which brought the number of total confirmed cases of Coronavirus to 4,263 with 378 recoveries and 22 deaths.

A statement on the Ghana Health Service website noted: “The cumulative number of COVID-19 cases recorded in Ghana since the 12th of March 2020 is 4,263. There have been 378 recoveries and 22 deaths. Between the 7th and 8th May, a total of 251 new cases have been reported with the majority of them from the Greater Accra Region (205 cases representing 82%).”

The Greater Accra Region still leads with 3,641 cases whilst the Ashanti Region follows in second place with 252 cases.

Ghana first reported two COVID-19 cases on 12 March. At that time, some countries had been under partial or total lockdown for at least four weeks.

Instead of taking lessons from their learning curve, the Government delayed action until after incessant pressure from various groups calling for a total lockdown. Even so, a partial lockdown of Accra, Kumasi, Kasoa and Tema was implemented for an initial two weeks. This was extended for one week, and then lifted.

The streets and markets are choked with people making nonsense of the existing social distancing protocols and ban of social gatherings announced by the president.

Schools, religious places, hotels and many non-essential places of work remain closed.

Read the GMA statement on COVID-19 pandemic below.