Deputy Health Minister, Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye has said that President Akufo-Addo has not been economical with the truth about Ghana leading Covid-19 testing in Africa.
President Akuffo Addo in his tenth televised address on measures government is taking to contain the virus mentioned that Ghana has administered more Covid-19 tests per a million people than any other country in Africa.
The President said “the World Health Organisation (WHO) has reached out to us to share our sample pooling experience with other African countries, so they can adopt this strategy and also ramp up their testing capabilities.”
President Akufo Addo further added that “Ghana had administered more COVID-19 tests per million people than any other country in Africa”.
The President’s comment comes contrary to the French News Agency claim that Ghana falls behind South Africa and two other African countries regarding coronavirus testing describing the President’s statement as false.
But Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye answering questions on the recent hike in Ghana’s recovery cases on local media maintained President’s Akufo Addo’s statement is true.
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According to him; the testing situation in the country is an indication of how serious the country is taking Covid-19.
“There are 54 countries out there, with us, leading and showing the example…We in Ghana and South Africa are showing the way. This is what should give us comfort” the minister said.
Dr. Okoe Boe added “The President did not set out to deceive but to send a signal that the testing regime we have is an indication of how serious we are taking Covid 19. With Nigeria’s GDP, they can do 10, 000 times what we are doing, but we happen to be doing more because of the value we place on the battle”.
He indicated that these figures should rather make people proud over the effort the country is putting in into managing the pandemic.
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Dr. Okoe Boe expressed concern about claims by sections of the public on the veracity of the Covid-19 in Ghana saying people should desist from doubting the cases in Ghana and adhere to the preventive protocols given.
“You do not have to wait for your relative to die from the disease before you believe it is real” he advised.
Ghana’s Covid-19 cases currently stand at 5,735 with 1,754 recoveries and 29 deaths.
Savannah, Bono East and Ahafo regions remain coronavirus-free.
Source: Victoria Adonu/ATL FM NEWS
