Editorial

RISING COVID-19 ACTIVE CASES

Published

5 years ago

January 23, 2021

It is becoming increasingly worrying that when it was thought that COVID-19 active cases had come as low as between 300 and 400, unexpectedly it started rising again.

The rising active cases have become a major source of concern to the leadership of the country as was pointed out by the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in his latest address on the pandemic to the nation. So worried was the President that he made it clear that “if the active cases continue to rise, he would have no option but to bring the country under partial lockdown as was experienced some time last year.

According to him active cases has moved from 900 last week to 1,924 this week. Indeed, the country experiences 200 new cases daily: This is very alarming.

The cases have started rising because many people no longer keep to the COVID -19 safety protocols. These include social distancing, use of nose masks, washing of hands frequently and using hand sanitisers as often as possible.

It was pointed out by President Akufo-Addo that “two weeks ago there was no critical case but we now have 33. This is very unfortunate.”

As a country we were doing very well until quite recently when the cases started rising again. During the Christmas celebrations the safety protocols were thrown overboard and this could be attributed to the current situation.

We, therefore, need to go back to the times when the safety protocols were taken seriously by all with the exception of a few unconcerned people, to ensure that the pandemic is brought under control once again.

With regard to the current wave of infection, those severely ill are youthful persons without underlying health issues. This is in contrast to previous times when those severely affected were people within the old age bracket.

Everybody in the country must take up the issue seriously and help in the fight against the pandemic since lives, when lost, cannot be revived. Simply put, life has no substitute.

It is the duty of the President to play his part to protect all Ghanaians but at the same time every individual also has a part to play in order to make assurances of our safety double sure.

The situation is gradually growing from bad to worse because deaths have now moved from 338 to 352 and that 13 out of the 16 regions have recorded active cases.

We all have a role to play to bring the pandemic under control. As the President rightly pointed out, our goal should be the attainment of zero recording of the disease.

It is only when we’re able to attain this that we can say we have fought a good battle and won, and then all Ghanaians will be the winners.

Editorial

Would there ever be beds?

Published

6 days ago

February 28, 2026

WeeklySpectator

Dear Editor,

I WRITE to condemn the circumstances under which an accident victim died recently after three major hospitals reportedly turned him away due to what has earned a place in our local parlance as ‘no bed syndrome.’

Reports suggested that this motor rider who got knocked by a vehicle was taken to three major hospitals – Police Hospital, Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Ridge Hospital), and the Korle-bu Teaching Hospital – but they all claimed they had no beds.

But one may ask, would there ever be beds?

Such is the treatment Ghanaians endure every now and then when one visits our hospitals, especially the public ones which are run with the taxpayers’ money. Many a time when one visits the hospitals, the sight of patients admitted and lying on benches, and some sitting on chairs while receiving care, is visible to all; making one wonder why this particular motor rider was not admitted at any of the facilities, looking at his condition.

This leads to the reason for this letter, which is to bring out a perceived apathy against these motor riders, the majority of whom are referred to as ‘Okada’ riders.

Due to their recklessness on the roads and the inconvenience caused to commuters, people always speak ill about them; drivers equally have no regard for them. Every user of public transport would attest to this. These riders are blamed for every offence, even when it is obvious drivers may be at fault sometimes.

Motor riders have become like orphans on the road; people care less about them, and when they are unfortunately knocked down, no one cares about them.

This is the mischief our authorities and agencies, including the police, must seek to cure to make the road safe for all users.

These are young folks that want to make a living for themselves, and with no skill or education, ‘Okada’ rides have become their source of livelihood. They need the protection accorded drivers and commuters as well.

In other countries, some facilities have been provided to make their work safer, but in Ghana, we lack them, leaving them with no alternative than to share the available space with the cars.

What has happened should serve as a wake-up call on our authorities to aim to take a second look at the ‘Okada’ menace. With the numbers increasing, there should be a way to regulate them because no government would have the guts to ban it totally.

Drivers should be made to accept the reality that they are sharing the roads with them, and therefore the need for patience and tolerance.

For some of our hospitals, I suggest the Ministry of Health conduct their own investigations to see what patients go through in accessing medicare, which is even not for free.

Thank you, Editor, for the space.

F. Morgan, Kokrobite

Editorial

Ending the ‘No Bed’ syndrome

Published

6 days ago

February 28, 2026

WeeklySpectator

Dear Editor,

THE heartbreaking death of 29-year-old engineer Charles Amissah in a hit-and-run accident has exposed once again the failures in our health system.

Even more painful is the fact that his father had previously donated beds to some hospitals, yet when his son needed urgent care, he was moved from one facility to another because there were ‘no beds.’

This is not only tragic but unacceptable. How can a country lose its bright young citizens simply because hospitals cannot provide emergency treatment? The ‘no bed syndrome’ has become a national disgrace, and Charles’ death is a reminder that reforms cannot wait.

Our hospitals must be equipped to handle emergencies, and accountability must be enforced. If donations are made to improve facilities, then those facilities must serve the people when it matters most. Ghana cannot afford to keep losing lives to negligence and poor infrastructure.

Charles Amissah’s death should be the turning point. Let us honor his memory by fixing the system so that no family would suffer this kind of preventable loss again.

Princess Wonovi
Accra