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COVID-19 restrictions: To lift or not to lift?
The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is expected to address the nation by Sunday (tomorrow) on Ghana’s next action in containing the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Currently, over 7,000 people have been inffected with more than 2,000 recoveries and 34 deaths recorded, as of Thursday, May 26.
When deductions of the recoveries and the death are done, it would bring the active cases to over 4,000.
So far, the country has tested 204,909 people for COVID-19 according to the Ghana Health Service (GHS) as at Thursday May 26, 2020
Against this backdrop, there have been a lot of agitations within the country on the next move, as to whether the restrictions currently in place should be relaxed.
After the country lifted the earlier partial lockdown measure, there were some restrictions which were not touched.
These restrictions were made to continue to help stop or contain the spread.
They included the ban on all social gathering with exemptions to some programmes, additionally, schools, churches, night clubs, drinking spots among others remained shut.
Also, the country’s boarders, air, land and sea remained closed to travellers unless under emergency or extreme circumstances.
Hotels and restaurants are not operating in full capacity, due to the containment measures.
There had been measures like wearing of nose mask in public, observing of social distancing and adherence to effective hand washing and use of sanitisers.
This notwithstanding, private school teachers and owners as well as stakeholders in the hospitality sectors have complained of harsh economic challenges due to the measures.
Clearly, this had even led to laying off of staff, and in some cases, a cut in salaries to cushion operational costs of companies.
With regard to the schools, an Educationist, Professor Stephen Adei on Joy Prime Morning, television show this week has said that government should not be in a rush to open schools to students while the country is still fighting the coronavirus.
According to him, final year students alone could be asked to go to school to limit the spread of the virus among students.
On the religious front, there are different views, where some men of God have been clamouring for the re-opening of churches with some laid-down protocols to ensure the measures were adhered to.
Some also believe that it is too early for such move, saying it could become a hot spot in the spread of the virus.
Elsewhere in the United State of America, President Donald Trump had declared churches as essential service and demanded that governors of various states reopen them despite the COVID-19 lockdown.
Most businesses including bars, hairdressers, schools, transportation services, shops, are reopening after more than two months of nationwide lockdown measures.
This notwithstanding, the World health Organisation (WHO) has warned of a second peak of coronavirus cases.
During a media briefing on Monday, Dr Mike Ryan, executive director of WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme, said “right now, we are right in the middle of the first wave, globally. We’re still very much in a phase where the disease is actually on the way up,” he added.
A WHO infectious disease epidemiologist, Maria Van Kerkhove, said “all countries need to remain on high alert here. All countries need to be ready to rapidly detect cases, even countries that have had success in suppression. Even countries that have seen a decline in cases must remain ready.”
Now, most Ghanaians would be waiting anxiously for the President’s “monumental” address on the way forward tomorrow, to lift or not to lift?
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Mr. Alfred Nii Kotey Ashie, the Member of Parliament for the Odododiodioo Constituency in the Greater Accra Region, has assured the Accra Street Academy of his support in achieving its mission of uplifting vulnerable children within the community to break the cycle of poverty. “Without the needed support, your efforts may go round in circles due to the enormity of the task. This should not be left on the shoulders of the Academy alone. You need support from both government and the private sector. With that, the Academy would be in a good position to shape the future of these children on the streets,” he said.
The Accra Street Academy, originally formed in 1985 as a boxing arena, now serves as a school for deprived children, with most of its population numbering hundreds of pupils being neglected children from the streets of Jamestown and its environs. Mr. Alfred Nii Kotey Ashie made these remarks at the annual stakeholders’ meeting and fundraising event held over the weekend under the theme “Empowering Street Children: Health and Wellness.” The event is one of the Academy’s annual programmes, organized to raise funds and other forms of support to aid the school in catering to the needs of the children and holding its Christmas get-together.
According to the MP, it is worth noting that these children are taught and provided with two meals and a snack daily through the support of benevolent members of society. In view of this, he promised to facilitate the acquisition of documents needed for the construction of an Astroturf within the school’s premises. He noted that “every child has the right to play, and therefore I pledged to do my best to secure the needed documents” for the project to commence.
The legislator disclosed that over the years, the academic programmes of the Accra Street Academy have transformed children surviving on the streets into successful adults. He therefore urged other members of society to partner with the school to “help pupils rise higher for a better Ghana.” In the 2025/26 academic year, 22 pupils were absorbed by the Accra Metro Education Directorate as they transitioned into various Junior High Schools, while still returning to the Accra Street Academy for academic support.
Ms. Yvonne Abba-Opoku, a chartered governance advisor and senior executive in the nonprofit and charity sector, stated that the best gift to give a child was education.
By Spectator Reporter
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Mrs Regina Kudom, Senior Midwifery Officer at the New Atuabo Health Centre in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality, has urged expectant mothers to attend antenatal clinic regularly for safe delivery.
She revealed that “in Tarkwa and its environs many pregnant women prefer staying at prayer camps, we are not against that, you can be there, but when your time is up for your antenatal session make sure you attend.”
Mrs Kudom gave the advice when the Gold Fields Ghana Foundation (GFGF) observed the World Prematurity Day with pregnant women at New Atuabo, Huniso and Awudua health centres.
World Prematurity Day falls on November 17, every year, and it is celebrated to raise awareness about the challenges faced by pre-term babies and their families.
She said research suggested that sex during pregnancy could soften the cervix and potentially aid in labour preparation.
“That is the reason why we encourage pregnant women to have sex with their partners, if they do not have any health implications,” she added.
Mrs Kudom appealed to the GFGF to upgrade the New Atuabo health centre as the current structure was too small because they received many patients daily.
Madam Ayishetu Mohammed, Project Coordinator for GFGF, explained that they received donations from Project C. U. R. E and the items were given to health facilities in their operational area.
She stated that they noticed there were baby dresses, sanitary pads, and baby apparel, so they decided to distribute them among expectant mothers in three of their host communities.
Madam Mohammed said because the foundation was interested in preventive care, they brought a midwife from the Tarkwa Mine hospital to educate the pregnant women.
She extolled the midwives in New Atuabo health centre for the education they gave to the pregnant women and implored them to heed to the advice given during antenatal visits to reduce maternal deaths in the Tarkwa Nsuaem and Prestea Huni-Valley Municipalities.
Mr Paa Kwasi Egan, Deputy Chief Physician Assistance, emphasised that a pregnant woman being anemic meant she was not eating a balance diet, and added that, “Some of these women do not have money to buy food or visit antenatal clinics.”
He said when men follow their wives for antenatal visits, they would be educated extensively on why they should provide funds for their pregnant wives.
Mr Egan, therefore, encouraged all men to be involved in their pregnant wives’ antenatal care appointments so they could learn more about pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting. – GNA
