The Ashanti Regional Health Directorate says it is sending more surveillance personnel to Obuasi to augment local effort to contain the spread Covid-19 in the area.

It comes as Ghana’s case count hit 5,127 and Obuasi leads the chart in the region, by the last update on Tuesday, May 12, 2020.

The mining town accounts for 272 of Ashanti Region 662 recorded cases.

Regional Health Director, Dr Emmanuel Tenkorang, says the team from Kumasi will strengthen contact tracing, isolation and treatment.

He reiterates they are to look at the progress and put in the necessary interventions so as to reduce the spread in Obuasi.

“…we have redesigned another strategy. So now we are sending a reinforcement to Obuasi and we believe that with this reinforcement and other measures taken by the two Obuasi East and Obuasi Municipality, we can contain the infection at Obuasi so as to cut the transmission and save the people of Obuasi.”

What the Reinforcement entails

Dr Emmanueal Tenkorang adds that the directorate has re-strategised to enhance the measures put in place to strengthen the team there.

“…the reinforcement is that the medical team will have to be strengthened, and the contact tracing will have to be strengthens.

“The principle of tracing, testing, isolation and treatment will have to be strengthened, so it means that we have to send more teams, to make sure that we identify, isolate and those that will need treatment, we treat them.”

So formally it was only the medical team of Obuasi that was working but this time the region has come in and given the reinforcement that is needed to save the situation.

Lockdown Proposal

Officials say about 100 infections in the Obuasi situation can be traced to two persons who tested positive.

There have therefore been calls to lockdown the city in the face of the current development.

Dr. Tenkorang says it is necessary to assess the situation and weigh the pros and cons before a decision is taken.

“We will need to access it carefully, because as we all realized the lockdown has its own implications, and challenges it came with. Though people are proposing lockdown, we should do a lot of weighing but the best decision will come from our president.

“We will have to assess the situation and weigh the merits of lockdown or not. Whatever decision it’s taken, we will work in the framework.”

The donation

Dr. Tenkorang spoke to Luv News when Sanvik Mining and Construction Ghana donated anti-Covid items worth 150,000 Ghana cedis to the directorate.

The items included, 400 nose masks, 4300 pieces of 500 ml Hand sanitizers, and 100 packs of hand gloves.

Human Resource Manager, Samuel Brewu, says the company is excited to contribute towards fighting the coronavirus.

“We are grateful that we are of use in this difficult times, have a history of interventions in the areas we operate in. we have assisted in other health facilities, educational facilities and other social responsibilities”.