Set Up Nat’l Infectious Disease Centres – GMA

The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has asked the government to set up at least two national infectious disease centres, one in the southern sector and another in the northern sector, to facilitate prompt diagnosis, service delivery, research and teaching.

The call comes on the heels of recorded cases of H1N1 at the Kumasi Academy Campus that has left four students dead and several others hospitalised. There are also recorded cases of meningitis at Damango SHS, Tempene SHS, Bawku Senior High Technical School and Koforidua Secondary Technical School.

The GMA, while commiserating with the families of the deceased students, bemoaned “the inadequate preparedness of the nation for medical emergencies and epidemics. The inadequate supply of personal protective equipment and other medical logistics needs to be improved.”

The association further called for an improvement in the school health system suggesting that the “linkage of the school health system to specified health facilities must be strengthened.”

The statement further noted that the existing protocols and channels of communication during such outbreaks must be adhered to by all times. “Politicians and media should be circumspect in the handling of technical issues and allow professionals to as much as possible handle such matters,” the GMA said adding that, “the communication of conflicting position during such emergencies fuel panic and unnecessary anxiety in the public and this hampers scientific works.”

The association further condemned the manner in which the life of the president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and other citizens were endangered by their visit to the Kumasi Academy campus for their speech and prize giving day without the necessary measures being instituted.

They have therefore recommended that, due diligence should be done at all times including consultations with all needed professionals in subsequent events to forestall any future occurrence.

Source: ClassFMonline