Over 1,476 officers have been trained to help end stigmatisation against persons with Covid-19. This move which was undertaken under the End The Stigma project was launched by the Ghana Covid-19 Private Sector Fund.

According to Co-chair of the fund, Edward Effah the move has gone a long way to alleviate the plight of persons who suffer the phenomenon.

Speaking at the commissioning of Ghana’s first Infectious Disease Centre in Ga East, Mr Effah “the stigmatisation of patients during post-Covid-19 treatment was fast becoming a new pandemic.”

The project against sigma was undertaken in partnership with the National Commission for Civic Education, Ghana Psychological Association and the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation.

“The project has trained 1,476 officers from the security services, the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association, Ghana Journalists Association, the Ghana Health Service, the Institute of HR Managers and Practitioner, Ghana Employers Association and the NCCE on the management of Covid-19 and stigmatisation,” Mr Effah said at the commissioning of the new facility on Friday, July 24.

The commissioning of the country’s first-ever Infectious Disease facility was done by the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, sponsored and promoted by the Ghana Covid-19 Private Sector Fund.

The estimated $5 million project, located at the Ga East Municipal Hospital was commenced in April this year after a sod-cutting ceremony graced by President Akufo-Addo.

The 100-bed capacity facility will be used to treat critically ill Covid-19 patients during the pandemic and subsequently used as a centre for the treatment and research into some of the most infectious diseases prevalent in Ghana after the coronavirus pandemic.

Presenting the report on the project, Managing Trustee for the Ghana Covid-19 Private Sector Fund, Senyo Hosi lauded the efforts of the men and women who continued to the success of the facility.

Attributing the process to what he says is the ‘ingenuity of the Ghanaian’, Mr Hosi revealed that the perseverance and determination exhibited by partners in constructing the centre was unmatched.

He added that despite the confirmation of nine new cases in the process goes to confirm the will power to see the completion of a facility that will help curb the spread of such diseases in the country.

“We battled nine cases of Covid-19 on site. And yes, there was quite a big scare nut we rallied again with the clear understanding that how we react to the situation will either make us part of the solution or enforce the actual problem.”

The Ghana Covid-19 Private Sector Fund is an initiative by private business people who set it up with a seed fund of ¢1 million while campaigning to raise at least ¢100 million from local and international businesses as well as the general public to aid the fight against Covid-19 in Ghana.

These funds, management say is to help put up similar projects in at least three other regions of the country to deal not only with Covid-19 but also help the nation to tackle future infectious disease epidemics.