WHO report identifies gaps in Ghana’s preparedness plan for Coronavirus

By Linda Naa Deide Aryeetey, GNA

Accra, March 01, GNA - Dr Badu Sarkodie,Director of Public Health at the Ghana Health Service (GHS) said the Ministryof Health is mobilising funds to beef the nation’s preparedness plan to respondto any suspected or possible case of the corona virus.

This he said after the World HealthOrganisation's (WHO)’ came out with a Country Readiness checklist’ to assessits capacities to respond to cases of Corona Virus also known as COVID-19, identified gaps in Ghana’s controlactivities as of February 14, 2020.

A report on the nation’s assessment by theWHO Ghana office indicated that Ghana was challenged with inadequate funding toimplement various preparedness activities planned.

The five-page report further stated thatGhana would require additional funding to implement its preparedness activitiessince the support from the government so far, focused on the provision ofPersonal Protective Equipment (PPE) and other initiatives.

Presently, Ghana needs a sum of GH¢35million to prepare adequately to close the preparedness gap identified duringits assessment.

The Ghana Health Service, however, explainedthat there was a funding gap because the GH¢ 2.8 million allocated for thenation’s preparedness was yet to be released.

As of February 27th, China had reported atotal of 78,630 cases of COVID-19 to WHO, including 2,747 deaths,

Outside China, there are now 3,474 cases in44 countries, and 54 deaths. Nine countries have reported cases for the firsttime: Brazil, Georgia, Greece, North Macedonia, Norway, Pakistan and Romania,Algeria and Nigeria.

According to the WHO, coronaviruses are afamily of viruses that cause illnesses ranging from the common cold to moresevere diseases such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and the MiddleEast respiratory syndrome (MERS).

These viruses were originally transmittedbetween animals and people

Signs of infection include fever, cough,shortness of breath and breathing difficulties.

In more severe cases, it can lead topneumonia, multiple organ failure and possibly, death.

GNA