GMA raises red flag over lack of safety protocols at NIA ongoing card distribution exercise

The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has bemoaned the lack of safety protocols at the National Identification Authority’s (NIA) ongoing exercise to distribute National Identification Cards at various parts of the country.

According to the GMA, the NIA has the onerous responsibility to keep Ghanaians safe and protect them from contracting the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) disease through the ongoing exercise.

“The Chief Executive Officer of the NIA should be held accountable for any breaches of safety protocols at the various centres”, noted the GMA in a statement dated June 30, 2020, and signed jointly by its President, Dr. Frank Ankobea and General Secretary, Dr. Justice Yankson.

NPP Primaries

The GMA also expressed worry about none observance of safety protocols during the recently held parliamentary primaries of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

“The GMA believes that such attitude as exhibited does not help in the fight against the spread of the COVID-19 disease. Indeed identifiable individuals, who took part in throwing all the precautionary measures as prescribed by the Ghana Health Service and for that matter Government to the dogs, should be apprehended and prosecuted by the Police according to the dictates of the law”, the statement in part further read.

The observations of the GMA follows its National Executive Council’s extensive review and deliberations on the nation’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and management of cases.

Inadequate PPE’s

Turning its attention to health professionals in the fight against the spread of the coronavirus disease, the GMA said their members continue to face huge challenges accessing the appropriate PPE’s for their work.

This, they noted, has contributed significantly to large numbers of health professionals getting infected in the line of duty.

Not happy about this phenomenon, the GMA has called on the government to as a matter of priority and urgency, provide the needed PPE’s, both in quality and quantity, at all times to address the recurrent inadequacy of PPE’s at health facilities.

Any supply chain challenges, the GMA added, should also be addressed with immediate effect.

The GMA also wants the periodic shortages of the needed drugs for case management to be addressed with immediate effect.

 

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