The world has been hit by numerous viral disease over the past decades, including SARS, SWINE FLU, just for few. In 2019, a virus from the Coronavirus family (Covid19) was detected in Wuhan, China, which has now become a global pandemic. Many countries, including USA, Italy, Spain, France, German, UK, just for few, and many other countries which one would term as having resilient medical equipments have all been affected hugely and thousands of lives are being lost daily.
Africa, as a continent was not left out. Many countries including Ghana have all been affected, and leaders of the affected countries are restless in curbing the spread of the virus, containing and managing it.
Because the world at large was not ready and prepared for such pandemic, it’s brought scarcity on some clinical materials like Personal Protective Equipments (PPEs) but some countries are trying all the can to provide them for the respective health officers to fight the disease, and Ghana is not exception.
The Government of Ghana has made procurement of some PPEs to be shared to the health official but the focus has and/or is only on the government health facilities. The private and community health providers have never been flashed in the minds of the distributors other these PPEs.
Due to that, the private health providers are lamenting over being neglected by government. On 26th March 2020, University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) issued a statement with proposals to the government and they stated that the private health providers should not be neglected in fighting the virus, since they (the private health facilities) are situated in our various communities which any suspected covid19 patient may first attend before they’re taken to these government facilities.
Last week, Dr Samuel Boakye, the acting president of the Private Health Providers Association of Ghana, came out to debunk an earlier statement from the Ministry of Health which said they have been engaged, and that, they will also be looked at.
According to him, government has not called on them as the minister claimed.
In an exclusive interview with Dr. Kwabena Appiah, the Physician Assistant and Biomedical Lab scientist at Ngleshie Amanfrom Community Clinic at American House, to be specific, in the GA South Municipality, he highlighted some challenges the private sector is facing in combating the covid19 pandemic and how they have been sidelined by government
He said, even if the PPEs were on the market, they would have gone to buy them for their safety and that of their staffs.
He went on to plead with the government to consider those in the private sector especially those in the community, which anyone can just walk in for healthcare.
Dr Kwabena Appiah seized the opportunity to call on all corporate bodies and well meaning Ghanaians to also come to their aid and the Ghanaian populace to observe the hygiene protocals and advised every Ghanaian to adhere to the President’s directives to curb the spread of the pandemic.
Obrempong-Nana Kwaku Ampomah 