The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) says more patients could die from Covid-19 in the Ashanti Region if a dedicated isolation and treatment facility is not made available at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH).

Currently, the KATH - Ghana's second largest referral facility - admits Covid-19 patients but Regional President of the GMA, Dr Paa Kwesi Baidoo is worried about the situation.

He told Luv News’ Erastus Asare Donkor that the hospital is now admitting Covid-19 patients at the Accident and Emergency Unit, and that should not be the case.

He fears the situation could result in an increase in positive cases and without an adequate facility to cater for them, patients who are already receiving treatment for separate conditions, could get infected and lose their lives.

“The situation is really bad. If you look at the statistics from the Ghana Health Service, you will realize that most of the deaths are from here.

“Previously we used to have the holding area [at the Accident and Emergency Unit] and those who come back confirmed are transferred to another part of the hospital, but now there is a spill over. Patients who have tested positive are being kept on the Emergency Wards,” Dr Baidoo said.

Aside the facility being under pressure, Dr Baidoo said the inadequate supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) has resulted in many of his colleagues getting infected with the virus.

The GMA is collating data on the number of its members who have contracted the disease and Dr Baidoo said at the last count, “about 15 to 20 doctors have been infected” in Kumasi alone.

Nationwide, however, 80 members of the GMA have contracted the virus in the line of duty.