Twenty-four health workers in the Mfantseman municipality have been infected with the coronavirus disease, Covid-19.

The situation, according to the Municipal Health Directorate has hugely affected the staff strength as many of the health staff who have been exposed must go into isolation.

Theresa Naana Yankson, Deputy Director of Nursing Services at the Municipality said her outfit has had to re-organize its staff to ensure that the staff left are able to handle the workload at hand.

The infected health staff are part of the 72 recorded cases in the municipality as of June 9.

She said were 69 cases in the municipality, 63 of whom were on treatment, with 36 cases (representing 57 per cent) recovering and one death.

Naana Yankson lamented that the infected workers and their contacts at the hospital, some of whom are also health staff, had been quarantined, which has negatively affected the municipality's staff strength.

“We have had to re-strategise to ensure that we keep the work going. You know many of the health staff that tested positive had their colleague health staffs as contacts, heightening our fears but we have to soldier on,” she said.

The Deputy Director of Nursing Services indicated it was obvious that inadequate PPE was a hindrance to the fight against the coronavirus and appealed for public support.

“As we are aware, the inadequate PPEs and other sanitary items have been a major setback in our fight against the virus. Government has done a part by giving some of these items but because they are mostly disposable, there will never be enough. We appeal for more support to help us in this fight,” she prayed.

The Pacific Oil Company Limited recently donated PPEs to the Hospital valued at ¢30,000.

Operations Manager of Pacific Oil, Sunday Baah Yeboah, said they donated the PPEs in response to appeals made by health officials in the Municipality over the rising cases of infected health staff.

“We heard of their pleas and appeals and decided to step in to help. We were largely touched by the fact that many of the health staff that are supposed to be working have themselves been infected. We pray they recover quickly,” he said.

He indicated that Pacific Foundation had also embarked on several projects, including the digging of boreholes, drainage systems, refurbishment of health facilities and offering support to widows.

The items included 10 thermometers, 30 face shields, 5,000 disposable gloves, 30 aprons, 30 goggles, surgical masks and 70 reusable coveralls.

The Pacific Foundation also presented nose masks to drivers at the Ajumako, Saltpond and Ekumfi lorry stations in Mankessim.