Dr Pius Mensah, Medical Superintendent of Hohoe Municipal Hospital, has said the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic was a drain on the human resource of the Hospital.

He said some staff of the Hospital had been trained to help in the management of the disease but some of them including orderlies had retired hence creating a gap, which would be difficult to fill immediately to handle the second wave of Covid-19.

Dr Mensah speaking during a Public Health Emergency Committee Meeting, said despite the constraints, “we have to employ casual staff to maintain two Covid-19 facilities; the holding area and treatment centre.

He said there was a rapid response team in place as well as protocols for screening, sample handling and transportation, results and case management and community integration.

Dr Mensah said there was a screening area for people entering the hospital, holding area for suspected cases and treatment centre for positive cases.

He said the anticipated challenges with the second wave of the disease in the Municipality were the absence of some equipment such as pulse oximeters, patient monitors, ventilators and oxygen cylinders at the Municipal Treatment Centre.

Dr Mensah noted that some positive cases were referred to Ho last year for treatment because the Municipal do not have the requisite equipment in handling such cases.

The Medical Superintendent said vehicles for daily operational work which included community education, contact tracing and case transportation and follow-ups were some logistics needed to effectively handle the disease in the Municipality.

It was also discussed at the meeting that there was the need for the provision of television sets, fridges and freezers at the Municipal Treatment Centre to provide some form of comfort for patients on admission.

Mr Andrews Teddy Ofori, Hohoe Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), commended the health management team for handling cases of the pandemic effectively in the Municipality.

He said the second wave of the virus needed the services of the inaugurated Covid-19 Fund-raising Committee to assist in managing cases in the Municipality urging them to rise to the occasion.

The MCE also appealed to individuals and organisations to help the Municipality to manage the disease effectively.

The Hohoe Municipality, since January 16, this year, has recorded a total of 14 cases made up of 13 active cases and one recovery with no death.