We deserve state-of-the-art infectious disease centres in every region – Nat’l COVID-19 Trustfund

Chairperson of the Covid-19 National Trust Fund, Her Ladyship Justice Sophia Boafoa Akuffo, has suggested that Ghana needs more improved treatment centres in every region to control the rapid spread of infectious diseases in the country.

Her Ladyship during a press update on the expenses of the Covid-19 National Fund, highlighted some significant impacts and achievements of the nation’s Covid-19 Trust Fund.

According to her, the fund has received donations both in kind and in cash with a total amount of GHȼ62,329,941.98 as of June 30, 2022. She indicated that the donations included hand sanitisers, cleansing equipment, tinned foods, liquid soap, rice, pasta as well as vehicles.

Justice Sophia Akuffo mentioned that out of the GHȼ62,329,941.98, the Fund had disbursed for various programmes as well as for administrative purposes and procurement of items, an amount of GH¢53,230,805.37 with numerous PPE and laboratory supplies were donated to institutions like the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, COVID-19 Care Management Centres, Ghana Health Service facilities and other public as well as private health institutions across the country.

As such, “the Greater Accra Regional Hospital (formerly Ridge Hospital) has benefitted from the fund the laying of a pipeline to connect the hospital’s oxygen plant to its COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit and Holding Bay (GH¢314,032.62). The pipeline was commissioned on 15th July, 2021.

“The Cape Coast Teaching Hospital has also been rehabilitated and equipped with its COVID-19 Treatment Centre and also other infectious diseases centres, which was damaged by flood waters in October 2021 with a total of GHȻ552,889.93 spent,” she added.

However, she indicated that with the current trend of other infectious diseases like the Marburg virus and Monkeypox, it would be necessary for the country to have “ultra-modern” treatment facilities outside of the capital and preferably across the country to tackle the evading infectious diseases in Ghana.

“The rehabilitation we’ve been able to undertake in Ridge is state-of-the-art and you need to see for yourselves how such facilities ought to look like so that we would be amenable because really, we need more than one of that sort. We need one more of these state-of-the-art facilities in each region to control the spread of the prevailing viruses in the country.”

She further advised Ghanaians to continue to adhere to the covid-19 safety protocols.

She added, “The pandemic is still raging and until the WHO downgrades it, we should all be in masks and adhere to the protocols.”