C/R: 40 deaths recorded during Covid-19 pandemic – Dr. Kwabena Sarpong

The Deputy Regional Director of Public Health at the Central Regional Health Directorate, Dr. Kwabena Sarpong, has indicated that about 52 percent of people in the Central Region have so far been fully vaccinated with 30 percent having taken the booster vaccine.

According to him, the region also recorded 5, 974 cases of Covid-19 and had a recovery rate of 96 percent while there were 40 deaths.

Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting on the current Covid-19 situation in the region, Dr. Sarpong said although 40 deaths were recorded there are other claims of deaths that need to be validated.

“Just even one death is too much but unfortunately, we have recorded that number of deaths. There are also reports of other deaths that people are attributing to Covid but we need to validate them to know the cause of their deaths,” he said.

To him, education on the Covid 19 and its effects by the media and health officers are not enough.

According to him, some infected persons even after recovering from the virus have serious complications.

He noted saying “there are people who have recovered, and cannot breathe well; they have developed something like an Asthma situation. Others have also recovered but are living with heart problems, others with kidney problems and brain problems.”

Dr. Sarpong however said the health service is yet to quantify cases of these post Covid syndrome.

To that end, he believes education on the virus and its effects should also be emphasized.

Meanwhile, the Central Regional Health Directorate has launched a breastfeeding week to help promote breastfeeding in the workplace.

Launching the week under the theme: “Step up for breastfeeding: educate and support,” Dr. Sarpong said every institution should create a conducive area for women to breastfeed their babies.

“As a society all of us, we must advocate for this” he emphasized.

He said this will help in the promotion of breastfeeding which has enormous benefits for the baby and the mother.