The Deputy Health Minister has disclosed that government has spent about $34.6 million on Covid-19 tests at a cost of $100 per test.

Dr Bernard Okoe Boye told Parliament, from where JoyNews’ Joseph Opoku Gakpo reports that the high investment in testing is yielding positive results as is being seen in the low mortality rate.

“Ghana has done 346,990 so far with a positivity rate of 7.9 percent. For every one million of Ghana’s population, this comes to 11,000 tests on the average. The number of tests done per million of a country’s population gives an indication of government’s commitment towards fighting the pandemic.

“The higher the test per million per population, the more reliable the picture painted for that country. One PCR test costs an average $100 meaning the Akufo-Addo government has spent over $34.6 million on testing alone, not to mention the expenditure on expansion of testing capacity, he told Parliament.

Citing tests conducted in other countries to that of Ghana, the Deputy Minister who is also MP for Ledzokuku said the Akufo-Addo administration has done far better.

"Compare Ghana to the following countries in terms of tests conducted as at July 13, 2020 and you will appreciate he efforts and strong commitment shown by the Akufo-Addo government: UK is doing 195,000 test per million, Taiwan -3,306, Senegal – 5,700, Egypt – 1,300, Japan – 5,000, Ivory Coast – 3,172, Kenya – 5,000, Nigeria – 879, Niger – 275 and Angola – 304.”

Government’s commitment and preparedness to fight the virus, Dr Okoe Boye said is also evident in the care patients receive.

“All confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Ghana are treated free of charge be they in ICU, high dependency unit, or under supportive treatment at designated centres. All confirmed case in mandatory quarantine are fed three times a day by the state,” he disclosed.

Meanwhile, Ghana’s 10 testing centres will resume full testing capacity after receiving more testing kits and medical supplies.

This would help the country’s testing centres conduct between 100,000 and 300,000 sample tests in the next three months and clear the backlog of samples across the country.

Government distributed 50,000 PCR kits and close to 30,000 nucleic acid extraction kits, N95 masks, examination gloves and isolation kits, which form the basis for PCR testing regime.

Additionally, government is expecting to take delivery of about 40,000 testing kits in few days’ time to help expand six more testing centres in the northern parts of the country.