Deputy Health Minister-designate, Dr Benard Okoe-Boye, has justified government's decision to implement a partial lockdown instead of a total national lockdown in the fight against Covid-19.

Citing the graph of recorded cases which he said are declining, he believes the measure put in place by government is sufficient to manage the spread.

The Board Chairman of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital during his vetting in Parliament Wednesday explained that the growing numbers are largely due to the steady progress of samples being tested since the first cases were recorded on March 11.

“They are not necessarily cases of yesterday. We have a lot of samples in the queue for us to test them because of the limitation in testing capacity although Ghana is one of the highest testing regions in the continent," Mr Okoe-Boye stated.

The Ledzokuku MP stated that regarding the number of deaths, 17 recoveries and some 66 others who are awaiting a second result to affirm their negative status must be subtracted from the current number of confirmed cases.

“If you have cases that are going up, then you want to maintain your measures or escalate them,” he said.

Dr Benard Okoe-Boye was appointed by President Nana Akufo-Addo to take up the role of Deputy Health Minister to replace Alexander Kodwo Abban who has been reassigned as Deputy Minister for Communications, replacing Vincent Sowah Odotei, MP for La Dadekotopon, whose appointment has been revoked.

A medical doctor by profession, his vetting was fast-tracked to enable him to bring his expertise on board in Ghana’s fight against Covid-19.