One Ghana Movement has raised concerns over the level of government’s preparedness to fight against the spread of coronavirus in the country.

Seeking more details from government, the non-profit organisation has asked questions regarding the Covid-19 pandemic that has so far claimed two lives in the country and infected 27 people.

Below are the questions the Movement is seeking answers to.

• What projection do we have on the number of cases Ghana may experience at the peak of the pandemic, looking at the increase in the cases we are currently observing, and the infection spread rate?

• How many Personal Protective Equipment for frontline respondents (i.e. Nurses, paramedics, doctors etc.) are required and how many do we currently have available in Ghana? How many more are to be procured and when do we expect to take delivery of them?

• What is the bed capacity of the existing isolation centers and how much capacity do we require? What steps are being taken to boost the capacity should it be inadequate? Is government seriously considering using the yet to be operationalized hospital facilities and when and how much additional capacity will they add?

• How many ventilators are available in Ghana as a country and how many have been allocated to the current designated COVID-19 health facilities, and how many more are required to meet the demand at peak? How many are to be procured and when do we expect to take delivery of them?

• What is the total oxygen producing capacity in the existing health facilities and how much capacity is required to meet the anticipated demand? What strategy is being put in place to avoid the shortage of oxygen? 

• How many test kits do we currently have and how many are required? How many more are to be procured and when do we expect to take delivery of them? Will these include approved rapid diagnostic kits if available?

• What is the testing rate for Noguchi Medical Research Institute and Kumasi Center for Collaborative Research (i.e how many tests can they undertake per day)? Are these two centers in just 2 regions enough to serve the 16 regions of the country?

• What is Government’s position on equipping and empowering all regional hospitals and selected private laboratories with capacity to support the testing of suspected cases and voluntary test requests?

• How effective is the monitoring of directed self-quarantine cases? Is Government considering the need to strengthen the guidelines?

Was the Ministry of Health agreeable to the blatant disregard of the directives of the President by the National Identification Authority without recourse to the wellbeing of the citizenry? If not, what did the Ministry do to address the nonchalance of the NIA? Is the Ministry of Health aware whether the NIA was acting under the directives of the President?