Features
Danger posed by unreasonable fear of COVID-19
The recent death of a student at KNUST SHS, Kumasi, has painfully brought home the need to urgently deal with unnecessary fear of COVID-19. The fear of this pandemic, if not properly and immediately addressed, would result in a lot of preventable deaths.
I cannot begin to imagine the pain the parents of this deceased young man are going through. As a parent with two children at the same level, my preoccupation with this story is understandable because it could happen to anybody.
Imagine your child is not sick and you are suddenly informed that he had passed away; if you are not mentally strong, you can go mad or get a heart attack. All because people who should have known better and demonstrated compassion as the ethics of their profession demands, were rather paralysed by fear and to some extent “wicked” indifference, leading to the death of an innocent student.
The relevance of my article published two weeks ago about recruitment is clearly borne out by this sad incident. Until we pay attention to proper recruitment systems so that we recruit the right people into our public and civil service, even in the private sector, these are the horrible things we are likely to experience as a nation.
The life of a young man just cut short simply due to the suspicion that he was suffering from COVID-19 and the fear that if the people around him tried to help him they may contract the disease.
The video that was shown on TV revealing the attitude of some teachers standing nearby as some students tried to assist their friend who was suffering, demonstrates a certain lack of compassion which is very strange in people who are in the teaching profession.
The average teacher would quickly call for an ambulance or a taxi and dispatch the victim to the nearest hospital with speed.
Whether through ignorance or sensationalism, COVID-19 has been made to be viewed as a dangerous disease that can easily kill and, therefore, people are so afraid of it. The little I have read about this disease shows that it is not as dangerous as we perceive it to be and that when one observes the prescribed protocol, he or she would not be infected.
Currently, there is no vaccine but a lot of people who contracted it, have recovered from it. In fact, the health authorities have come out to say that the body’s immune system is able to fight the virus when detected early enough. It, therefore, is not something that is so life threatening that it should scare people beyond measure.
A few weeks ago, tears came into my eyes as I listened to a story on Asempa FM’s Ekosiisen programme about the death of a pregnant woman. The story, according to the husband of the deceased, the pregnant woman went into labour and was taken by her sister to a hospital at Nsawam since their town was along the Amasaman-Nsawam road, and I guess it was closer to Nsawam.
According to the husband, when his wife and her sister got to the hospital, she was coughing and a nurse on duty at the hospital asked that the pregnant woman be taken to a different hospital.
The explanation was that since she was coughing, the nurse suspected that she was suffering from COVID-19 and was not prepared to risk her life in attending to her. Try as she did, the sister could not persuade the nurse to attend to her pregnant sister, and even though the pregnant woman was in pain, this nurse could not be bothered.
The pregnant woman was then taken to another place after wasting about two hours at the hospital. The husband was then informed to come over, due to the situation to help transfer the wife to another hospital.
The long and short of it was that the lady lost her life in the long run together with her baby. I do not need to be a health specialist to conclude that this nurse in question has no passion for saving human life, and most likely is in the profession for economic reasons, not as a calling.
If care is not taken, there would be a lot more of such avoidable deaths before a vaccine is found and this disease is finally brought under control.
At the beginning of the institution of quarantine of suspected cases, there were rumours making the rounds of a case at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in which a Chinese who was suspected to be a COVID-19 positive, caused a pandemonium because no one was attending to him for fear of contracting the disease.
Apparently, after a while he was hungry and was not going to allow hunger to kill him, so he decided to go find something to eat and everybody was running away from him including security men.
I shudder to think of what would happen when people are confronted with an accident scene in this COVID-19 era and what their response would be. Already, fear of contracting HIV through assisting accident victims is an issue and now the invasion by COVID-19 has compounded the situation.
There are going to be a lot of situations like the ones already discussed, where lives are going to be lost due to fear of contracting the virus unless urgent steps are taken.
Education about the disease must be intensified so that people understand the nature of the virus, mode of transmission and the protective protocols that can be implemented to escape infection.
This would also enable potential helpers to become less afraid of the disease and be able to offer assistance to people who find themselves in emergency situations that are not related to the disease.
If the ordinary folks do not appreciate the general symptoms, anything can be considered to be a manifestation of COVID-19, and would be reluctant to offer help to victims of emergencies.
One of the important tools that can be used in demystifying the COVID-19 pandemic and the resultant fear and stigmatisation, is the use of volunteers who come out publicly to declare their COVID-free status after being cured of the disease.
Just as the volunteers who were used to fight stigmatisation in the HIV-AIDS disease, a similar method can be used to fight stigmatisation of the COVID-19 in Ghana.
It is only when people see COVID-19 as just another unfortunate disease that has afflicted mankind and it is not the fault of anybody who contracts it, that people’s attitude towards infected persons would change from scorn to sympathy and empathy.
The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, must be commended in this regard as he first announced that his Minister of Health had been infected with the virus, thereby demonstrating leadership at the highest level.
One man who cannot escape mention is one Dzrah, who volunteered way back to become an anti-stigmatisation ambassador and the mental torture he went through with his family.
Recently, other people have openly come to declare their status as COVID victims and have shared with us their health status after their healing.
This has started removing doubts from the minds of COVID-skeptic people and has also assured people that the virus can be dealt with if identified in time and treated.This would help shape mindsets and help in the fight against unnecessary fear of COVID-19 to avoid avoidable deaths.
The Average Citizen
Conflict at work is more common than you might think. According to 2022 research by The Myers-Briggs Company, more than a third of the workforce reports dealing with conflict often, very often, or all the time in the workplace. The same report found that managers spend an average of four hours per week dealing with conflict, and nearly 25 per cent of people think their managers handle conflict poorly or very poorly.
Addressing a dispute might feel tense or awkward, but resolving the conflict is typically well worth it in the long run. Whether you’re trying to mediate conflict between colleagues or are directly involved, here are seven steps you can take to manage workplace conflict.
1. Don’t put it off
Facing conflict head-on is hard. However, waiting too long to address it can negatively impact your emotional well-being, focus, and the entire office environment. If you’re feeling angry, letting that emotion fester can also escalate it over time. This can make you less responsive to other points of view and make it harder to resolve the issue.
The sooner you can address the conflict, the better it will be for you, the person you disagree with, and your entire team.
2. Learn all you can about the problem
It’s important to determine the type of conflict you’re dealing with. Begin by considering the cause of the conflict. For example, ask yourself whether someone said something that upset you or if you have emotions of anger and resentment that stemmed from something that happened.
Then try to identify if it’s a task, relationship, value, or team conflict. Once you know what type of conflict it is, you can work to resolve it with specific tactics for that situation.
If you skip this step, you may waste time or escalate the situation further by trying to address issues irrelevant to the real conflict.
3. Actively listen
Listen attentively when people share their side of the story. Active listening is one of the most valuable professional skills you can possess. This type of listening involves not only hearing what the other person is saying but also listening to understand their point of view.
No matter your role in conflict, it’s easy to begin sharing your opinion with little regard for the other people involved. However, it’s important to learn about all sides of a disagreement to make well-informed decisions before drawing conclusions.
To reach a resolution, you must step back and prioritize listening over talking. Ultimately, that will encourage the other person to do the same when it’s your turn to speak. –source: betterup.com
Today, I focus on the Temple Of Praise Ministries International (TOP Church) in Helsinki, as I continue my description of personalities or institutions and their accomplishments as members of the Ghanaian Diaspora in Finland.
The TOP Church in Finland has seen significant strides and accomplishments that must be made known to the public. 
Some history
The Church was established in Finland in September 2016. Since its inception, it has steadily grown both spiritually and numerically, by the grace of God, as disclosed to me by Mr Matthew Anini Twumasi, the Presiding Elder of TOP’s branch in Finland. The TOP Church has other branches across Africa, Europe, and America.
The Church in Finland was founded with a vision to create a welcoming and dynamic community where people could experience God’s love and grace (see, www.topchurchfinland.org). According to Presiding Elder Matthew, the TOP Church operates within a unique environment where Christianity coexists with what is seen as a largely secular society.
Despite this, he submits, there are significant opportunities for outreach, unity, and demonstrating the love of Christ through service and community engagement.
Activities
Church services at the TOP Church are typically held on Sundays for the main worship. In addition, there are mid-week prayer sessions, Saturday prayer services, and a half-night service held on the last Friday of every month. “We also organise quarterly programs”, Elder Matthew added.
His impression of the Church so far has been positive. “It is a vibrant and welcoming community where members are committed to worship, fellowship, and supporting one another in faith”, he stated.
In sum, Elder Matthew said the Church continues to grow by God’s grace. “We remain hopeful and committed to spreading the Gospel, strengthening the faith of our members, and making a positive impact in society”, he continued.
Achievements
The TOP Church has a number of achievements and achievements. Some of the strengths include strong community bonds, cultural diversity, and deep commitment to spiritual growth.
I also remember that during the COVID-19 period, I heard that the TOP Church was one such bodies that hugely supported its members and others to cope with the situation.
According to Elder Matthew, the challenges facing the church include “adapting to cultural differences, engaging the younger generation, expanding outreach in a secular society, and securing a permanent place of worship”.
Role in the Ghanaian community in Finland
The TOP Church plays a prominent role as a religious group that serves Ghanaian migrants and others in the Finnish society.
Thus, the TOP Church is a religious body for Ghanaian migrants in Finland and other nationalities who want to worship with them for diversity and better intercultural and multicultural understanding.
The Church also has mechanisms in place to support its members who are bereaved as a way to commiserate with them in times of death and funerals.
The Ghanaian community has played a vital role in the growth of the Church. Their strong sense of fellowship, dedication to worship, and active participation have helped build a solid foundation and attract others to the ministry, according to Elder Matthew.
Integration
By its activities, the TOP Church is helping to ensure integration of its members well into the Finish society.
This is important since social interaction and citizens’ well-being are an important part of the integration process.
The role of migrant associations and groups such as TOP Church acting as bridge-builders for the integration and inclusion of migrants through participation in the decision making process and by acting as a representative voice is highly appreciated in Finland. Thank you!
GHANA MATTERS column appears fortnightly. Written in simple, layman’s terms, it concentrates on matters about Ghana and beyond. It focuses on everyday life issues relating to the social, cultural, economic, religious, political, health, sports, youth, gender, etc. It strives to remind us all that Ghana comes first. The column also takes a candid look at the meanings and repercussions of our actions, especially those things we take for granted or even ignore. There are key Ghanaian values we should uphold rather than disregard with impunity. We should not overlook the obvious. We need to search for the hidden or deeply embedded values and try to project them.
With Dr Perpetual Crentsil
