The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has called on the government to expand free and enhanced Covid-19 testing in the country to mitigate the rapid spread of the Covid-19 delta variant.

In its press statement dated August 2, President of the Association, Dr Frank Ankobea also admonished state health institutions to enhance “contact racing as well as strict isolation and management of all infected persons at designated centres together with strict adherence and enforcement of all Covid-19 preventive protocols to help break the chain of transmission.”

These recommendations follow a meeting held between the National Executive Council (NEC) and the GMA at the latter’s Secretariat at Korle-Bu on July 30, to discuss the pertinent issues concerning the health sector.

Owing to the third wave of the virus, the Association has reported that various major health facilities both in the Greater Accra and Ashanti Regions have recorded a high number of infections and deaths.

The Ghana Health Service (GHS) in its latest report revealed that as of July 29, 837 deaths have been recorded nationwide with active cases standing at 5,928.

Although the government is procuring some 18 million vaccines to be received in the third quarter of the year, the Ghana Medical Association has asked government to do all it can to fast track the acquisition of these vaccines to enable more Ghanaians get vaccinated.

“Vaccine acquisition and deployment for the benefit of all eligible persons in Ghana must be topmost priority of government at this point of the battle against Covid-19.

“Government must do all it takes for this to be achieved. Vaccination of Ghanaians against Covid-19 cannot be delayed any further,” the press statement further added.

So far, 1,271,393 Ghanaians have been inoculated as of July 14.

Meanwhile, the National Executive Council has threatened to suspend its Outpatient-services (OPD) effective Friday, October 1, should government fail to settle outstanding issues and related arrears as well as improve conditions of service for medical doctors and dentists working with the Ministry of Health (MoH) and its agencies.