Central University holds Public Lecture on COVID-19

The Vice-Chancellor, of the University of Health and Allied Sciences, (UHAS), Professor John Owusu Gyapong has commended government of Ghana for its role in the coordinated fight against the coronavirus pandemic across the country during its peak.

Professor Gyapong made this known when he delivered a public lecture at the Central University Christ Temple Campus last Wednesday, May 25, 2022 under the theme, “COVID-19, Is Ghana Out Of The Woods?”.

He noted that, the initial assessments about the virus’ on the Africa continent due to poor health infrastructure and inadequate human capacity couldn’t manifest to the highest death toll that was predicted due to quickly interventions outlined by various Africa leaders.

While factors such as air temperature, demographic profile, and low levels of urbanization he said influenced the low rates of the impact in Africa, Prof. Gyapong asserted that swift adoption of policy responses and effective leadership contributed significantly to the low rates from Africa.

Professor Gyapong outlined various policy responses adopted by governments, with key measures focused on containing or mitigating the spread of the virus.

In Ghana, the government established a COVID-19 National Emergency Response Project.

A key strategy of the response was to mobilize resources internally to improve the healthcare system and ease economic impacts. Specific measures included air, sea, and land border closures to limit the importation of the virus; full and partial lockdowns, contact tracing, increased testing, and the designation of COVID-19 isolation centres.

Other measures adopted included non-medical and pharmaceutical interventions such as face-covering mandates, hand-washing facilities, local manufacturing of PPEs and limits on social gatherings.

The President of Ghana led the national response and the communication strategy, with regular briefings to keep citizens informed and educated, as well as the roll-out of short-term fiscal and monetary measures through a dedicated COVID-19 Fund to channel resources to small and medium scale businesses as well as vulnerable households.

These policy measures, Prof. Gyapong said contributed significantly to the low infection and mortality rates as well as averting the total collapse of the economy.

Prof. Gyapong further highlighted some positive impacts of COVID-19; such as the adoption of online/virtual meetings, increased digital education, heightened levels of hygiene, increased levels of communication and innovation, among others.

He noted, however, that in spite of the positive preventive and management measures resulting in mortality rates lower than other regions of the world, data available suggests that the pandemic has had disastrous impacts on the economy and health care systems of several African countries.

Summing up, Prof. Gyapong urged African leaders to unite to develop the capacity for the local manufacturing of vaccines, adding that, youth of today should be goodwill ambassadors to develop innovative ideas to help fight future pandemics.