Hospital administrators commend government for efforts to contain coronavirus: Ghanatoday.net

Koforidua, Feb. 11,
GNA – The Association of Health Service Administrators (AHSA) has commended
government for the efforts so far put in place in preventing spread of any
incidence of the coronavirus in the country.

However, the
Association asked the Ministry of Health should ensure that all frontline staff
and Emergency Departments/Units at all levels of health care to provide with
adequate logistics to enable them deal with the threat.

This was contained
in a press release issued by the AHSA at the end of its national executive
committee meeting at Dodowa in the Greater Accra Region and copied to the Ghana
News Agency.

The release urged
government to ensure that the Ghana Immigration Service, Port Health
Authorities and other relevant Institutions to intensify surveillance at all
approved entry points as well as all other possible entry points into the
country.

The release called
on the Ministry of Health to ensure that all District Hospitals and District
Health Directorates heightened surveillance and emergency preparedness. 

The Association
called for the intensification of public education about the virus to create
awareness so that any suspected case could be reported early for prompt
intervention.

As a medium to long
term measure, the Association suggested to government to consider the
establishment of specialized centers for the treatment of highly infectious
diseases such as the coronavirus and Ebola.

The Association also
commended government for the injection of 307 ambulances into the health system
to strengthen the existing emergency response service in the health sector.

The Association
urged the government to ensure that the various Metropolitan, Municipal and
District Assemblies (MMDAs) have functional ambulance stations in their
respective MMDAs.

It also called on
government to ensure that the Ambulance Stations were well resourced and
equipped by the assemblies to respond to emergencies.    

The Association
urged the National Ambulance Service (NAS) to ensure that the ambulances were
regularly maintained in order to prevent them from breaking down.

It also called on
the NAS to sensitise the people in the communities to know the specific use of
the ambulances to avoid the misuse of the ambulances as hearses to convey dead
bodies.

It urged the
government to institute measures to check prank calls to the Call Centers to
ensure their efficient functioning and called on the NAS to come out with
standard charges to cater for fuel for implementation across the country to
prevent the EMTs from using their discretions to determine fuel charges to be
paid by already distressed relatives of clients.

The Association
advised government to help maintain the standard of ambulance service in the
country by putting in place a plan for the provision of 50 ambulances annually.

GNA