The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has refuted claims by pressure group, OccupyGhana on manipulation of Covid-19 figures.
OccupyGhana on Tuesday released a statement expressing suspicion that the Service is under-reporting Ghana’s Covid-19 figures on cases, recoveries and deaths.
The group accused government of deciding to live with the virus.
“If the government has decided to pursue a policy of ‘living with the virus,’ then the healthcare system and the population should be prepped for this,” it said in its conclusion.
Let’s just remember that Sweden tried the method and has one the highest levels of deaths per million in the world.”
In a rebuttal, the health service said, it is “very unfair” on the part of the pressure group to impugn ill-intention to the figures released.
“We wish to state categorically that Ghana Health Service does not manipulate the data collated from the regions.
“The reporting on data including deaths and recoveries at the national level goes beyond just numbers and includes epidemiological and clinical states of the cases.
“It requires a bit more time to verify and validate,” Director-General Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye said.
OccupyGhana also raised concerns on government decision to allow final year students return to school.
The GHS responded: “We must emphasize that the health of Ghanaians is our utmost concern and as such, we will strive to ensure their safety at all times and make readily available Covid-19 related information.
“We are working closely with the Ministry of Education and Ghana Education Service in this regard to ensure that every school is appropriately linked to our district health facilities who will supervise to ensure that the social distancing; hand hygiene and wearing of nose masks protocols put in place for the schools to reopen are strictly enforced.”
The Ghana Health Service also responded to concerns regarding tests and laboratories, personal protective equipment (PPEs), bed space and critical care staff, among the issues raised by OccupyGhana.
Director-General Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye said, the service takes the concerns in “good faith.”
“We are open to meet all stakeholders for further discussion and clarification.”
Source: GhanaFeed.com
