An investigation conducted by the Health Ministry has revealed that some people have been hoarding government procured Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) in certain parts of the country.
Addressing the concern of health workers at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital, the Health Minister Kwaku Agyeman-Manu described the act as illegal.
He noted that the actions of the unscrupulous individuals have prevented several health workers from having protective suits as the country combat the deadly coronavirus.
“Our search reveals that some of us are hoarding the PPEs, we even got some reports that some are selling back to us particularly the face masks,” he said.
He indicated that as part of effort to curb the illicit act, his outfit will now engage directly with the facility to supply them with the product devoid of the institutionalized channels.
“If [health] centres call us [Health Ministry] to tell us that they have still not received their PPEs, we do not go through the channel, we move straight to either the Region or district for the PPEs to be distributed.”
Reacting to the hoarding of PPEs, the General Secretary for Ghana Medical Association (GMA) said individuals found culpable should be dealt with in accordance to the law.
Dr Justice Yankson said in any human endeavour, there are people who would want to take advantage of the system, however, the state of global emergency is not the best time for such activities.
“I do not really understand why people will be hoarding PPEs, but if investigations have brought this to light then the Health Ministry through the Ghana Health Service gives a clear cut directive to all managers of healthcare facilities not to hoard the protect.”
The GMA General Secretary also indicated that the supply of PPEs to health facilities is now better than two months ago.
Following several complaints by health workers in the country over inadequate supply of PPEs to the various hospitals, government resorted to the local production of protective gears to solve the problem.
Latest Stories
-
There’s something mysteriously amiss somewhere about ongoing ‘dumsor’ – Gabby Otchere-Darko
13 mins -
South Africa: Team Western Cape wins National Primary School Track and Field Championships
28 mins -
Chale Wote Street Art Festival: A call for artists ahead of 2024 edition
2 hours -
Floods: We’re exposed but my team and I are ‘running’ to catch up – Oppong Nkrumah
2 hours -
5 traits of sweet, committed men that may seem like red flags at first
4 hours -
We met on Twitter and our first date was a week-long road trip
4 hours -
The biggest mistake people make when meeting someone in person after talking online
4 hours -
I traveled 500 miles for a first date
4 hours -
My cousin saved my life and she never knew
4 hours -
Top UN court orders Israel to allow food and medical aid into Gaza
4 hours -
Fallen ‘Crypto King’ Sam Bankman-Fried gets 25 years for fraud
4 hours -
The architecture we have used to tackle housing deficit has not been robust enough – Oppong Nkrumah
5 hours -
Government suspends implementation of price Stabilisation and Recovery levy on petroleum products
6 hours -
Takoradi traders lament over low sales ahead of Easter
7 hours -
I’ve served Effia constituency well – Joseph Cudjoe
7 hours