Stanbic Bank Ghana, as part of its ‘All for One’ campaign, has delivered 3,008 units of Covid-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test kits and 3,072 units of Nucleic acid (RNA) extraction kits to the Ghana Health Service (GHS).

This is to enhance the Service's Covid-19 testing and early case detection capacity.

This is the second round of Test Kits and Extraction Kits donated by Stanbic Bank Ghana to the GHS to support the national COVID-19 response.

This brings to a combined total of 8,640 PCR test kits and 8,512 RNA Extraction kits, all of which were procured and delivered in partnership with UNOPS.

Earlier in June this year, Stanbic Bank Ghana provided 5,568 units of PCR test kit, 5,504 units of RNA extraction kit, and an Autopure 32A-Nucleic Acid Purification System to the GHS in phase one of the bank’s support of the fight against COVID-19.

Speaking at the handing over ceremony at the GHS Head Office in Accra, Kwamina Asomaning, Head of Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB) of Stanbic Bank Ghana, said “For us, this is not a donation but a responsibility because we believe that the fighting the Covid-19 pandemic is not the responsibility of one set of actors but a joint responsibility.

"We view this as a token of our commitment to the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. We also believe creating awareness around the need to adhere to the safety protocols is very important and we have been active through our digital channels to ensure that the awareness is created.

"As a financial institution, we have provided alternatives that allow people to conduct their activities without exposing themselves to the risks of the coronavirus and we thank you for the opportunity to join the fight against the pandemic. We hope to continue our partnership with the GHS as we fight this pandemic

On his part, Mawuko Afadzinu, Head, Communication and Marketing of Stanbic Bank Ghana noted that “When we asked our colleagues to join in the fight against Covid-19, we had many expectations.

"But these have been exceeded with the eagerness with which staff adopted this campaign. Some donated up to 30 percent of their monthly salary for three months to ensure that we could raise over ¢300,000. We are very proud of this effort.”

Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, Director General of the GHS, on behalf of the GHS expressed his gratitude to Stanbic Bank and UNOPS for the donation, especially in the face of global shortage of COVID-19 tests kits.

“We are very grateful to Stanbic for the donation of the RNA extract kits and a PCR test kits, it came at the right time by the time we are expanding our lab capability, especially in the public sector. It helped establish a reference lab, and free up other equipment that can be used for the Kumasi, and Takoradi reference lab.

"Extract kits have always been something that was causing a clog in our system that also came at the right time for us to be able to do a lot of work. We are grateful to Stanbic for the timely and very essential donation that they gave to us.

"We are also grateful to UNOPS for the speed in which this was done, especially in times where there was a global shortage of all these equipment, allowing us to improve our ability to fight the virus”, he said.

Ghana recorded its first case of COVID-19 in March this year. As of September 17, the number of COVID-19 positive cases exceeded 45,500.

To combat the spread of the virus, government, Health Ministry and the GHS have been engaging development partners and the private sector for support. 

The primary objective of the Stanbic Bank ‘All for One’ campaign, therefore, was to contribute to ongoing national efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

As part of the campaign, staff committed up to 30 per cent of their salaries for three months to purchase critical supplies in aid of front line health workers in the push back against the pandemic.