Audio By Carbonatix
General Secretary of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has expressed worry over reports of Covid-19 patients evading quarantine in some parts of the country.
This, according to Dr Justice Yankson, negates the strides being made by government and other organisations in the bid to reduce the transmission of the novel coronavirus in the country.
Speaking on Newsfile, Saturday, he said the development was unfortunate adding that it exposes the larger community to the risk of contracting the infection.
In March, one of the Guineans who tested positive for Covid-19 in Tamale escaped.
The young lady, who authorities say is in her early 20s allegedly scaled the wall at the back of the hotel where she and nine others were being held in mandatory quarantine.
On April 9 two others were also said to be on the run after testing positive for the novel coronavirus at Old Fadama, a suburb of Accra.
These individuals, who were confirmed to have been infected by the virus are yet to be reached by contact tracers three days after confirmation of their status.
One of two was later found with the assistance of the Chief Executive Officer of Accra Metropolitan Assembly.
This development Dr Yankson said is making the fight against the novel coronavirus a daunting one.
"You have tested positive, you are refusing to 'be treated'. Whether out of fear or sheer negligence, I cannot tell. But what you are doing to yourself is that you are increasing the risk of you yourself getting to a position where you could end up with a complicated form of the disease...You are also putting the rest of us at risk," he said.
The GMA General Secretary, however, encouraged local authorities to assist contact tracers and government as Ghana races against time to contain the pandemic.
Also speaking on the show, Presidential Advisor on Health Dr Anthony Nsiah-Asare explained that the number of infections could easily explode if the situation persists.
He called on Ghanaians to avail themselves in terms of support to enhance the surveillance and ongoing aggressive testing by authorities amid the lockdown.
Dr Nsiah-Asare also revealed that government is employing geographical mapping strategies to detect coronavirus hot spots in the various communities.
"At first we were waiting for the person who has contracted the disease to develop symptoms, like what others countries are doing.
"But we have changed that and said let's be aggressive, enhance the process and then test them."
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