Address to the nation 8

THE EIGHTH UPDATE ON GHANA'S COVID-19... PRESIDENT AKUFO ADDO DAMAKsanitation Watch & Health highlights few of the president eighth speech on Ghana's covid-19, the way forward. President Akufo-Addo says government will soon commence the construction of hospitals in the 88 districts in the country without hospitals, and each hospital with 100 beds. According to the President, the coronavirus pandemic has exposed the massive gap in health infrastructure in the country and the need for government to attend to it.
Even though, all the outlined protocols remains observable including two weeks ban on public gatherings. “There are 88 districts in our country without hospitals. We have six new regions without regional hospitals.
We do not have infectious disease control centres dotted across the country and we don’t have enough testing and isolation centres for diseases like COVID-19. We must do something urgently about this,” President Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo during his eighth update on Ghana’s situation on the COVID-19 pandemic on Sunday, 26th April, 2020. DAMAKsanitation Watch & Health presents Presiden Akufo-Addo full speech below; #Your Health, We Care. Fellow Ghanaians, good evening.
It is a privilege for me, once again, to come into your homes to speak to you about the state of our common battle against the pandemic of the Coronavirus that is affecting all parts of the world, including our own. Exactly a week ago, I announced the lifting of restrictions on movement of persons resident in Accra, Kumasi, Tema and Kasoa. I did so on the basis of the data and science, as well as on a careful analysis of the impact of the restrictions on several sectors of our population, especially our informal workers, who need to have a day out in order to provide for themselves and their families, the poor and the vulnerable. Since I last spoke to you, we have completed the analysis of another thirty two thousand, and thirty one (32,031) samples, bringing the number of tests from sixty-eight thousand, five hundred and ninety-one (68,591) to one hundred thousand, six hundred and twenty two (100,622).
From this pool, the total number of confirmed infections have gone from one thousand and forty-two (1,042), to one thousand, five hundred and fifty (1,550). Our recoveries are now one hundred and fifty-five (155), and deaths eleven (11). The two (2) new cases of deaths, like the other nine (9), are all of persons with underlying health issues, what the doctors call comorbidity.
The positivity rate, i.e. the rate of infection from those sampled, continues to remain constant at 1.5%. Six (6) persons are critically ill, and the remaining one thousand, three hundred and seventy-eight (1,378) have mild or no symptoms at all, and are responding to treatment. Of the five hundred and eight (508) new confirmed cases, four hundred and sixty-five (465) are from the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area, ten (10) from Kasoa in the Central Region, seven (7) from the Ashanti Region, six (6) in the Eastern Region, two (2) in the Northern Region, one (1) in Western North, and seventeen (17) from the Oti Region. These seventeen (17) were the result of interceptions near Nkwanta by officers of the Immigration Service and other security personnel of two (2) cargo vehicles that had on 2 board a total of sixty-seven (67) passengers, who were illegally entering the Region from Accra during the period of the ‘lockdown’, and all of whom were tested, with seventeen (17) proving positive. We are still very much in unchartered territory, and, clearly, we still have some way to go towards ridding ourselves of the virus.
The truth is that this will be a long war, broken up into several battles. Indeed, we registered a modest success in the important battle to trace and test many of the persons who had come into contact with infected persons, and we cannot, and will not rest on our laurels. We will not let our guard down, as the fight against this virus has to progress. We will pursue vigorously our strategy of enhanced 3Ts, i.e. tracing and testing to allow us identify infected persons, and isolating and treating them. It is the surest way to root out the virus. Our efforts will remain constant, as will our abiding faith in the Almighty and our determination to defeat the virus. We must continue to be grateful to members of the media, members of our security forces, and our health workers for their sacrifice and high sense of patriotism in their contribution to the fight against the virus. The health workers, who are working day and night to care for the stricken, must continually be in our prayers. Their efforts will be in vain if we, at home, do not support them.
In addition to the incentive package given to all health workers, Government has enabled domestic production and supply of protective equipment to our health workers to increase significantly – they have received, in recent days, nine hundred and five thousand, and thirty-one (905,031) nose masks, thirty one thousand, six hundred and thirty (31,630) medical scrubs, thirty one thousand, four hundred and seventy-two (31,472) gowns, forty six thousand, eight hundred and seventy (46,870) head covers, and eighty three thousand, five hundred (83,500) N-95 face masks. We are also grateful for yesterday’s gift of medical supplies from the government of the United States of America to help boost our testing capacity, the latest assistance we have received from a friendly foreign nation. So, let us, on our part, continue to protect further our health workers by practicing social distancing, washing our hands with soap under running water, refraining from shaking hands, and, yes, wearing our masks 3 whenever we leave our homes.
I am happy to note that the hardworking Minister for Health, Hon. Kwaku Agyemang Manu, Member of Parliament for Dormaa Central, has, as of yesterday, 25th April, 2020, issued directives to guide the production and mandatory wearing of face masks. We should all familiarize ourselves with them, and apply them, as the Regional Coordinating Councils of the Greater Accra, Ashanti and Central Regions are demanding of their residents. Together, all these protocols will prove effective in helping each one of us to avoid contracting the virus. The doctors and scientists tell us that the virus is transmitted from human contact – talking, singing, coughing, sneezing, and, thereby, sending droplets of the virus from one person to another. That is why each one of us must adhere strictly to these directives. Fellow Ghanaians, in the course of this past week, I engaged a number of stakeholders to discuss the future of existing measures which have imposed restrictions on public gatherings, shut down our schools, and closed our borders.
I met with the Chairperson and Members of the Council of State, the President and Members of the Standing Committee of the National House of Chiefs, representatives of organised labour, i.e. the leadership of the Trades Union Congress, the leadership of the Christian Community, the leadership of the Muslim Community, the President and Executive Committee of the Ghana Medical Association, representatives and leaders of the Media, and the leadership of the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS), and its affiliated associations. The strong consensus that emerged from these and other consultations is that the existing measures must be maintained for now, until we have a firm grip on the movement of the virus. This consensus is supported by data and science, and I am also very much of this view.
I have, accordingly, by Executive Instrument, extended for another two (2) weeks the suspension of all public and social gatherings, as set out in E.I 64 of 15th March, 2020, effective tomorrow, 1am, Monday, 27th April. I am encouraged that so many of our trotros, taxis, and buses are operating with a minimal number of passengers, and our businesses and supermarkets are enforcing the need for social distancing, the use of hand sanitizers and the wearing of masks for all patrons and staff. I want to signal out supermarkets such as Melcom, Palace and Shoprite, in particular, for the 4 excellent discipline they are maintaining in their enterprises across the country, and call upon all other enterprises, especially our market women, to emulate them.
The example of markets in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis, where social distancing is being well observed, is an excellent one for market women all over the country. I am fully aware of the sacrifices in reduced revenues that all businesses and enterprises are suffering. But, I believe we have no option but to sacrifice to defeat this virus. This is the time for sacrifice, so that we do not have to bear a greater cost in the future. Unhappily, there continues to be the worrying news of a few Ghanaians aiding some West African nationals to enter our country illegally, despite the closure of our borders. Even more disturbing is the fact that several of the West Africans, who have been arrested, have later tested positive for the virus. These are unpatriotic acts, and must stop.
We cannot continue to allow a few persons, who are motivated by their own selfish, money-making interests, to endanger the lives of the rest of the population. Not only will persons who enter our country illegally be strictly dealt with, but so will Ghanaians who facilitate their entry. As I have said before, being a Ghanaian must mean that we look out for each other. Just as the virus has disrupted our daily lives, it has also exposed the deficiencies of our healthcare system, because of years of under-investment and neglect. Whilst maternal, new-born, adolescent health and nutrition remain our top priorities, we must pay increased attention to chronic, noncommunicable diseases such as heart diseases, diabetes and asthma, which have proved to be the common risk factors for the eleven (11) deaths we have recorded from the virus.
It has highlighted the need to address mental health issues, and the crucial role of emergency services, to which the new fleet of ambulances and drones are responding. We must emphasise preventive and promotive aspects of health, in addition to care for the sick. The virus has also revealed the unequal distribution of healthcare facilities, as we have tended to focus our infrastructure on Accra and one or two of our other big cities. But, as we have seen, epidemics and pandemics, when they emerge, can spread to any part of our country. There are eighty-eight (88) districts in our country without district hospitals; we have six (6) new regions without regional hospitals; we do not have 5 infectious disease control centres dotted across the country; and we do not have enough testing and isolation centres for diseases like COVD-19.
We must do something urgently about this. That is why Government has decided to undertake a major investment in our healthcare infrastructure, the largest in our history. We will, this year, begin constructing eighty-eight (88) hospitals in the districts without hospitals. It will mean ten (10) in Ashanti, nine (9) in Volta, nine (9) in Central, eight (8) in Eastern, seven (7) in Greater Accra, seven (7) in Upper East, five (5) in Northern, five (5) in Oti, five (5) in Upper West, five (5) in Bono, four (4) in Western North, four (4) in Western, three (3) in Ahafo, three (3) in Savannah, two (2) in Bono East, and two (2) in North East Regions. Each of them will be a quality, standard-design, one hundredbed hospital, with accommodation for doctors, nurses and other health workers, and the intention is to complete them within a year.
We have also put in place plans for the construction of six (6) new regional hospitals in the six (6) new regions, and the rehabilitation of the EffiaNkwanta Hospital, in Sekondi, which is the regional hospital of the Western Region. We are going to beef up our existing laboratories, and establish new ones across every region for testing. We will establish three (3) infectious disease control centres for each of the zones of our country, i.e. Coastal, Middle Belt and Northern, with the overall objective of setting up a Ghana Centre for Disease Control. The recent, tragic CSM outbreak, with over forty (40) deaths, has reaffirmed the need for ready access to such infectious disease control centres, even though, in our time, nobody should die of the disease.
Early reporting is what is required, and I implore everybody to heed this call. We shall make these investments in our healthcare system not because it is going to be easy, but because it is self-evidently necessary to serve the needs of 21st century Ghana. The three (3) Development Authorities, the Zongo Development Fund, and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies will be tasked to place health infrastructure amongst their highest priorities in the coming years. Soon, at the appropriate time, the exact volume of investment required will be duly and transparently laid out for public scrutiny and action. 6 It is obvious that, side by side with the investment in the physical infrastructure of our public health system, we will have to intensify our policies for the growth of our domestic pharmaceutical industry, so that we can generate our own medicines and medical supplies and products.
We should no longer be dependent on foreign imports. Further, the National Health Insurance Scheme is, currently, in a stronger position, as a result of the significant reduction in outstanding arrears. It is my hope and expectation that this expanded and empowered public health system will be the most enduring legacy of the pandemic. Universal health coverage in Ghana will, then, become real and meaningful, for every Ghanaian deserves good health and good healthcare. Fellow Ghanaians, just as the Christian Celebration of Easter was severely affected by the virus, resulting in the cancellation of the usual activities associated with Easter, the Holy Month of Ramadan has not been spared either. It is my understanding that in the time of the Prophet Muhammad, Sallallahu Allayhi Wa’Salam, anytime there was heavy rain, he admonished the faithful, through the Azan, to stay in their houses and pray, rather than going to the mosques. In Bukhari’s collection of the Hadith, Book 13, Hadith No. 24, Ibn Sirin reports that Ibn Abbas said to his muezzin, and I quote, “after saying ‘I testify that Muhammad is Allah’s messenger’, do not say, ‘come for the prayer’, but say, ‘pray in your houses’…It was done by one much better than I…” (that is the Prophet) Through analogical deduction, Muslim scholars agree that ‘rain’ represented danger, and, therefore, the prescription for Muslims to stay at home and pray in times of heavy rain is applicable to all life-threatening situations.
I, thus, call on all Muslims to heed this prophetic admonishment to pray at home, so we can protect ourselves from the danger of COVID-19 . This is in line with the counsel of the wise, devout Muslim scholar, the Chief Imam, Sheikh Dr. Osman Nuhu Sharubutu. I wish all Muslims Ramadan Mubarak. In this period, let me state, once again, that the virus is the enemy, and not one another. We must be resolute in our unity to defeat this invisible enemy. No country on earth has been spared the ravages of this virus, and my singleminded goal is how to steer the country out of this crisis, protect our 7 population from the virus, and see to the rebuilding of our economy.
Nothing else matters for me. Fellow Ghanaians, we must now begin to lift our heads above the parapet, and look at our future with courage and hope. I shall be outlining, shortly, the path for bringing the restrictive measures, systematically, to an end, and defining the basket of measures for the revival and growth of our national economy. We have to own our future. I am truly proud, and, indeed, humbled, to stand here today as your President, witnessing the unfettered assistance Ghanaians have given to each other, the help you have offered to those in need, the generosity of your contributions to the COVID-19 National Trust Fund, and the support and understanding you have given to the difficult measures Government has had to undertake.
It is said that out of adversity comes opportunity, and, through this ordeal, we, Ghanaians, have had the opportunity to re-introduce ourselves to one another, showing the best of who we are. The solidarity and humanity on display in these past days fills me with even more optimism that Ghana will overcome this crisis, and come out even stronger and more resilient. This, too, shall pass! For the battle is the Lord’s. May God bless us all, and our homeland Ghana, and make her great and strong. I thank you for your attention. By Akgri M. Daniel

LOCAL NOSE MASKS SOLD ON THE STREETS

HOW CAN THE PUBLIC TRUST LOCAL NOSE MASKS SOLD ON THE STREETS... DAMAK CEO QUERIES GOV'T DAMAK

Sanitation Watch & Health is advising the general public to be more cautious of local produced nose masks sold on the streets. The organisation is therefore, advising government to take preventive safety measures in a form of education on the use of the nose masks and it holisticness to boost public confidence.
Even though, the nose masks, to whether foreign or local produce is not entirely an antidote to the covid-19 but, a tool of protection.
However, we must be assured of how safe they are; because we are all at risk, and we don’t know who is infected with virus which is critical thing we must observe. All these are reasons we seek government of Ghana and the Ghana Health Services to take a second look at the manner in which local nose masks are springing in the country and advised ultimate measures to control and prevent mass spread of the virus. We are yet to hear or see countries with such approach in the fight of the novel coronavirus.
We believe government will do the blissful thing and constitute infringing effort to regulate local manufactures of covid-19 protective materials by defining a specific centres for these products to be sold there instead of through an open markets…these materials have now become a household business for everybody of which the public may find it difficult to trust the materials and sellers…deem it critical for immediate intervention. Following the call by World Health Organization (WHO) to use protective nose masks in the fight against covid-19 pandemic, Ghana is no exception. Hence, we have to act decisively in our quest to prescribe protective materials from reliable sources for public consumption.
DAMAK Sanitation Watch & Health, since the start of the virus, have taken upon itself to facilitate viable road map through community base surveillance in the area of environmental cleanness and some few supply of alcohol based hand sanitizers to support government in the fight of the covid-19. Thus, admonishing the public to put up self-inspire spirited efforts in the fight of corona virus pandemic by continue to adhere to the government outlined protocols so that together we avert covid-19 in Ghana. Signed... Mr. Akgri M. Daniel CEO, DAMAKsanitation Watch & Health Telephone;0248998510

DEPRIVED COMMUNITIES IN A/R CRY FOUL OVER LACK OF WATER SUPPLY

DEPRIVED COMMUNITIES IN A/R CRY FOUL OVER LACK OF WATER SUPPLY…DAMAK COVID-19 REPORT
Residents in some deprived communities of the Ashanti Region are calling on government to intervene in providing them with sufficient portable drinking water to enhance the fight against the covid-19 pandemic.
DAMAK Sanitation Watch & Health can report that regardless of the president’s directives to supply free water and subsidy electricity consumption in the hotspots areas in the country, deprived communities in some part of the Ashanti Region are still going through daily challenges in their quest to connected to the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), or have access to the free supply of water. A survey conducted revealed that the following communities are experience insufficient supply of water.
They include; the Ejisu Municipality, Juaben District, Bosomtwe District, Afigya Sekyere East District, Kwabre South District, Kwabre North Districts, and Kwabre East District, and Atwima Nwabiagya north District all in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. (Picture of well) Some of these communities especially the Ejisu Municipal have since creation not connected to the Ghana Water Company Limited and they have to depend on wells as their sources of water supply.
And communities in such situation, the president were directed authorities to mount poly tanks in such areas to enable them have free supply of water. But at the time of filing this story, the Ejisu municipal and its environs are yet to have access to the free water supply. Residents explained that they have resorted into purchasing water from private own-water suppliers and cannot afford again due to the covid-19 restrictions.
The Ejisu Municipal Chief Executive, Madam Serwa Derkyie, affirmed that the municipal is indeed not connected to the GWC and residents depend on wells. But she could not establish to when the municipal will have access to the free supply of water as the president directed.
That notwithstanding, the Afigya Sekyere East District is also facing similar problem when Damak Sanitation Watch team visited the district. Residents could not hid their sentiments stressed angrily calling on the president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to enforced GWC to extend the free water supply to them to enable stay save in the partial lockdown.
In response to complans of residents in the Sekyere East District, the Chief Executive, Madam Merry Marfo declined to comment but was quick to relay that her outfit is facilitating measures to resolve the situation.
Fortunately for Kwabre North District, they also depend surely on mechanized water pumps that were freely constructed for the communities by the International Directhelp Projects (IDP) led by Pierre Petitjean from Switzerland. (Watch video below) Speaking to Mr. Eric Tawia, a farmer at Nkwantakese a suburb of Kwabre- North District, he expressed his appreciation to IDP amidst appealing on government to fulfil her promised to supply free water to affected communities for them to also benefit from the national cake.
Video LINK: Video Nkwantakese interview .. attached.
By; Benjami Barnabas Asalimbay & Akgri M. Daniel

LOCKDOWN LIFTED

GHANA'S COVID-19 PARTIAL LOCKDOWN LIFTED
President of the republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo's on his 7th COVID-19 Update speech have lifted the partial lockdown that was observed in some selected regions as a measure to fight the pandemic.
People are relieved to continue their daily activities. Even though, the fear of the pandemic diseases is high, yet people are rushing to their normal duties as usual. President Akufo-Addo's seventh address on measures to contain the Coronavirus on Sunday, April 19, 2020, is as follows below.
ADDRESS TO THE NATION BY PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC, NANA ADDO DANKWA AKUFO-ADDO, ON UPDATES TO GHANA’S ENHANCED RESPONSE TO THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC, ON SUNDAY, 19TH APRIL, 2020. Fellow Ghanaians, good evening, Today, Sunday, 19th April, 2020, is exactly three (3) weeks since I came to you and announced the imposition of restrictions to movement in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area and Kasoa, and the Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area and its contiguous districts. I explained, at the time, that the decision was taken to give Government the opportunity to try to contain the spread of the virus, scale-up effectively the tracing of persons who had come into contact with infected persons, test them for the virus, and, if necessary, quarantine and isolate them for treatment, should they prove to be positive for the virus.
GET CORONAVIRUS UPDATES HERE This decision to restrict movement has occasioned a number of severe difficulties for all of us across the country, especially for the poor and vulnerable, and not only for those resident in the affected areas. Let me express my gratitude to all of you for bearing with Government, all health workers, and with members of our security services, throughout this period. I requested all of us to sacrifice for our collective good, and we have been doing just that. I thank all our healthcare workers, the men and women of our security services, and members of the media, for the work they are doing in helping to combat the spread of the virus.
Let me also thank the individuals and organisations who have made contributions to the COVID-19 National Trust Fund. It is truly appreciated. Fellow Ghanaians, since the first two (2) cases of infections were recorded on our shores, we have, till date, traced some eighty-six thousand (86,000) contacts, out of which we have test results of sixty-eight thousand, five hundred and ninety-one (68,591) contacts.
There is, thus, a backlog of some eighteen thousand (18,000) tests whose results are yet to be received. The overwhelming majority of these contacts have been established in the last three weeks of the partial lockdown in Accra and Kumasi. Out of this number, one thousand and forty-two (1,042) persons, i.e. 1.5%, have been confirmed as positive, with sixty seven thousand, five hundred and forty-nine (67,549), i.e. 98.5%, testing negative; ninety-nine (99) persons have recovered and have been discharged; and nine hundred and thirty (930) persons, who have been isolated, are responding to treatment either in their homes or in treatment facilities. These nine hundred and thirty (930) persons, after their treatment, will soon undergo the mandatory two (2) tests to determine if they have also recovered from the virus or otherwise.
The main reason our country has seen an increase in the number of confirmed cases over the last three (3) weeks is because of the decision we took aggressively to trace and test contacts of infected persons. This has enabled us to identify and isolate infected persons, protect the population from further infections, and contain better the spread of the virus. Indeed, Ghana is the only other country in Africa to have conducted more than sixty thousand tests, and we are ranked number one (1) in Africa in administering of tests per million people. The decision to impose restrictions on movement was backed by the data at hand, and our next course of action, again, is backed by data and by science. Indeed, all that Government is doing is intended to achieve five (5) key objectives – limit and stop the importation of the virus; contain its spread; provide adequate care for the sick; limit the impact of the virus on social and economic life; and inspire the expansion of our domestic capability and deepen our self-reliance.
It is important to state, at the very onset, that scientists at the University of Ghana have successfully sequenced genomes of the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, obtaining important information about the genetic composition of viral strains in fifteen (15) of the confirmed cases in Ghana. This is a significant milestone in Ghana’s response to the pandemic, as it will strengthen surveillance for tracking mutations of the virus, and aid in the tracing of the sources of community infections in people with no known contact with confirmed cases. The Ghanaian scientific community is to be warmly applauded for this advance and contribution to global knowledge. Their work makes us proud to be Ghanaian, and, who knows, God may work through them to discover a vaccine. What a triumph that would be! Indeed, the recent genomic characterisation of African Coronaviruses by our own scientists illustrates the need to establish the enabling framework for sustainable vaccine manufacturing in Africa.
We must advance African-led partnerships to drive scientific innovations for the control of viral diseases by vaccination. Ghana, recognising this critical public health tool, will support the African Vaccine Manufacturing Initiative, which is chaired by Noguchi’s Prof William Ampofo, to promote the agenda for vaccine development and manufacturing in Africa by Africans for the world. Related Articles Covid-19: Ghana's case count now 1,042, recoveries 99 COVID-19: 13 social gatherings that remain suspended after partial lockdown is lifted Akufo-Addo's 7th COVID Address postponed to 9pm today VIDEO: Watch President Akufo-Addo's 7th Coronavirus update COVID-19: President Akufo-Addo lifts partial lockdown effective Monday Government has also introduced the use of drones to expedite the transportation of samples to laboratory centres. On Friday, 17th April, for example, fifty-one (51) samples were delivered from the Omenako Drone Distribution Centre to Noguchi. Furthermore, we are introducing rapid results testing to augment our surveillance and enhanced contact tracing efforts, so that we can quickly isolate and treat confirmed cases. From the sixty -eight thousand, five hundred and ninety-one (68,591) samples tested, we have been able to understand better the dynamism of the virus, map out its geographic footprint, and establish current and potential hotspots. We have also been able to isolate and educate asymptomatic carriers, and, thereby, help minimise the spread of the virus.
So far, it has been established that the virus was imported into our midst from foreign shores, and is being spread through person to person contact. The majority of persons infected in Ghana have mild to no symptoms at all, whilst a very small number have required hospital treatment, out of which nine (9) persons, with underlying ailments, have died. Towards treatment, we have expanded and added to our network of COVID-19 treatment centers, with the Ga East and Bank of Ghana Hospitals being one hundred percent (100%) dedicated to the fight. In addition, we have set aside separate COVID-19 treatment centres at the University of Ghana Medical School Hospital, the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi South Hospital, and in other designated Regional and District Hospitals. Last Friday, I was honoured to do the virtual sod-cutting ceremony for the construction of a 100-bed Infectious Disease and Isolation Facility at the Ga East Municipal Hospital, which is being funded through a public-private partnership, under the leadership of the Ghana COVID-19 Private Sector Fund., and whose construction, with the assistance of the 48-Engineer Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces, will be completed in six (6) weeks. Members of the Private Sector Fund have, indeed, acted like citizens, and not spectators, in these testing times for our country, and their patriotism is to be loudly praised. We have also scaled up the domestic production of personal protective equipment, and our health care facilities, so far, have taken delivery of fourteen thousand, five hundred and fifty (14,550) scrubs, eleven thousand, nine hundred (11,900) gowns, nineteen thousand, nine hundred and eighty (19,980) head covers, two hundred and sixty three thousand, two hundred and eighty one (263,281) nose masks, thirteen thousand, and two (13,002) N-95 nose masks. Forty-one thousand, one hundred and seventeen (41,117) varying sizes of sanitizers have also been produced locally and delivered to our health facilities.
The enhancement of our capacity to test has been made possible by the dedication of the expanded teams at Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research, and the National Public Health Reference Laboratory. Further, we are making significant investments in the laboratories at the Veterinary Laboratory, Accra, the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research Laboratory, Accra, the Police Hospital, the 37 Military Hospitals, the University of Health and Allied in Ho, the Veterinary Services Department in Sekondi-Takoradi, the Public Health Laboratory in Tamale, the War Memorial Hospital in Navrongo and the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, so they can also use PCR Technology. We are recalibrating one hundred (100) Regional and District Tuberculosis Gene Expert Laboratories across the country, to help ensure that we have a minimum situation of one testing centre per region.
Fellow Ghanaians, in view of our ability to undertake aggressive contact tracing of infected persons, the enhancement of our capacity to test, the expansion in the numbers of our treatment and isolation centres, our better understanding of the dynamism of the virus, the ramping up of our domestic capacity to produce our own personal protective equipment, sanitisers and medicines, the modest successes chalked at containing the spread of the virus in Accra and Kumasi, and the severe impact on the poor and vulnerable, I have taken the decision to lift the three (3) week old restriction on movements in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area and Kasoa, and the Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area and its contiguous districts, with effect from 1am on Monday, 20th April. In effect, tomorrow will see the partial lockdown in Accra and Kumasi being lifted. I must make it clear, at the outset, that lifting these restrictions does not mean we are letting our guard down. All other measures are still firmly in place. For the avoidance of doubt, the earlier measures announced on Wednesday, 15th March, which have been extended, are still very much in force, and have not been relaxed. I am demanding even greater adherence to these measures. In here, I am referring to the suspension of all public gatherings, including conferences, workshops, funerals, parties, nightclubs, drinking spots, beaches, festivals, political rallies, religious activities and sporting events.
All educational facilities, private and public, are to remain closed. Businesses and other workplaces can continue to operate, observing staff management and workplace protocols with the view to achieving social distancing and hygiene protocols. Operators of public transport, including our buses, trotros and taxis, are to continue to run with a minimum number of passengers, as they have been doing for the last three weeks in maintaining social distancing. They must also continue to ensure the maintenance of enhanced hygienic conditions in all vehicles and terminals, by providing, amongst others, hand sanitizers, running water and soap for washing of hands. Domestic airlines are required to adhere to the same protocols.
The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, together with Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, will continue to implement measures to enhance conditions of hygiene in markets across the country, and expand the policy of alternate-days-for-alternative-products to improve social distancing in all markets. As has been established, the overwhelming majority of confirmed cases have come from travellers or from people who have come into contact with travellers. It is, therefore, incumbent on us to continue to be vigilant about travelers into our country until further notice, and to congratulate the men and women of the Immigration Service and the Marine Police Unit for their work in securing our borders.
The arrest of ten (10) West African nationals in Tamale who all tested positive for the virus; the arrest of the six (6) Nigerian travellers who entered Ghana through unapproved routes along the Ghana-Togo border near Aflao, who also tested positive for the virus; and the recent arrest of ten (10) fishermen in the Western Region, who returned from Cote d’ivoire and have been quarantined, testify to the determination of our security services to protect our borders. I have, thus, signed an Executive Instrument, to extend the closure of our borders for two (2) more weeks, beginning Monday, 20th April. Like the World Health Organisation (WHO) has recently advised, I want to encourage you to wear a mask wherever you go, as it will help you not to contract the virus, and keep it clean. If you own a business, or are providing a service, i.e. a barber, a hairdresser, a tailor, a taxi driver, a trotro driver and his ‘mate’, a shop keeper, a food seller, please do well to use a mask.
The Ministry of Health will very soon issue guidelines on face masks for public use. I entreat religious, traditional, community and opinion leaders to partner with government in engaging, mobilising and enforcing adherence to social distancing and personal hygiene practices in their respective communities. As difficult as it may be, I encourage all bereaved persons to conduct private burials of their loved ones, but ensure that the twenty -five (25) person limit is not breached. Indeed, some are burying their loved ones now, in order to have the final funeral rites later. The morgues in the country are becoming full, and will, in themselves, soon pose a public health hazard. So, let us act quickly on this. As the days go by, and as we continue to sustain a grip on the rapid spread of the virus, the systematic easing of these restrictions will be undertaken to bring life back to normalcy. Definitely, we will continue to record new cases of infections, particularly with our policy of aggressive tracing and testing.
However, I want to assure you that Government has put in place the appropriate measures to isolate and treat them. Should there be an unexpected outburst in infections within a community, I have put the health workers and the security services, including the Police Service and the Armed Forces, on standby, to co-ordinate a rapid response of human and logistical resources, if necessary, to cordon, impose a curfew, trace, test, and treat infected persons in the affected community. Indeed, the focus of Government’s policy and action will be based on the implementation of the 3Ts, i.e. tracing, testing and treating. In any event, stay at home, unless it is absolutely essential. The movement of foodstuffs will continue from producing areas to the markets, and, with the intervention of the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, the markets would be better organised for the sale of foodstuffs. Fellow Ghanaians, as we fight to halt the spread of the virus, we are also engaged in fights on two other fronts – fights we must equally win. Firstly, there continues to be the deliberate dissemination of fake news, disinformation and outright lies by some unpatriotic citizens about the spread of the virus since its outbreak in the country.
These acts are being orchestrated by those who hope to benefit by seeking to sow the seeds of panic and confusion amongst the populace at this time of national crisis. I have an unequivocal message for those involved in these despicable acts – put an immediate stop to it, or be held accountable for your actions. Secondly, as has been aptly stated by the Ghana Medical Association, being infected by the Coronavirus is not necessarily a death sentence. I have noticed, with great concern, the stories of some persons, who have recovered from the virus, now being confronted with another problem, i.e. stigmatization. This is not right, as it will rather drive people away from getting screened, tested and treated. The stigmatization of recovered persons must stop, because if the virus did not end their lives and livelihoods, the stigma from members of their communities should not. I know the effects of the measures to contain the virus have been difficult for many, and that is why I mandated the creation of the GH¢1.2 billion Coronavirus Alleviation Programme to support households and businesses. Out of this amount, two hundred and eighty million cedis (GH¢280 million) is being used to provide food for the vulnerable and free water for all Ghanaians for three (3) months, i.e. April, May and June, three hundred and twenty three million cedis (GH¢323 million) is being used to motivate our health workers, and six hundred million cedis (GH¢600 million) of assistance is being provided to micro, small and medium-scale businesses.
I expect disbursements of the six hundred million cedis to start in May. Further, Government is fully absorbing electricity bills for one million active lifeline customers, and is granting a fifty percent (50%) subsidy on electricity bills of all other customers, using their March 2020 bill as their benchmark, for the months of April, May and June. In total, the relief on electricity will amount to some one billion cedis (GH¢1.02 billion). Again, Government, through the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture through the National Buffer Stock Company, in collaboration with the MMDCEs and the District Disaster Management Committees, has provided over 2.5 million cooked food packs to vulnerable persons in the affected districts of Accra and Kumasi. Dry food packs have also been distributed, in collaboration with the faith-based organisations, to four hundred and seventy thousand (470,000) families in the same areas, as against the original target of four hundred thousand (400,000).
I express my profound gratitude to the private sector and faith-based organisations, and traditional authorities for their support in this endeavour. I also commend highly the many individuals and private organisations who, on their own, organised hot meals and fed a number of vulnerable people within the restricted areas. To these individuals, ayekoo for being good neighbours to your fellow Ghanaians. As we continue to battle this pandemic, it is imperative we plan to restore Ghana onto a sound economic footing, and create a path towards growth and transformation. The recent one billion United States dollar Rapid Credit Facility, secured from the IMF, without any precondition, and approved by Parliament, will be used to help close the financing gap that has been created by the pandemic through shortfalls in revenues and additional expenditures. I welcome the three billion cedi (GH¢3 billion) credit and stimulus package from the commercial banks, with the support of the Bank of Ghana, to revitalise industries, especially in the pharmaceutical, hospitality, services, and manufacturing sectors.
The Minister for Finance, that hardworking, outstanding national treasurer, together with his counterpart in South Africa, as co-Chairs of the Committee of African Finance Ministers, have been leading a Pan-African effort to bring debt relief to the continent in these difficult times. Last Friday, they achieved a nine-month debt standstill from the World Bank for all qualifying members of the International Development Association (IDA), starting from 1st May, 2020, totalling some forty-four billion United States dollars ($44 billion) for the countries of Africa. In the case of Ghana, this amounts to a freeze in principal and interest payments for the year, amounting to some five hundred million United States dollars ($500 million). This will create greater fiscal space to help make the Ghanaian economy much more resilient. I have charged the Finance Minister to leave no stone unturned to achieve an even greater and comprehensive debt relief programme for Africa. Our success in defeating the virus is largely within our control. That means each and every one of us must exercise, at all times, during this period without the partial lockdown in Accra and Kumasi, a strong sense of selflessness, self-control and self-discipline.
It is important to stress strongly that coming out of the partial lockdown in Accra and Kumasi does not mean we are out of the pandemic. We will continue to monitor closely events in some hotspots in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area like Weija Gbawe, Ga East, and Ayawaso East Municipalities, and Tema Metropolis, and in the Eastern Region, like Asuoygaman and Lower Manya Krobo Districts. Whenever the situation so warrants, a community in which the virus is identified as becoming prevalent will be locked -down, until there is a clear understanding of the trajectory of the virus that will allow us to contain it. We must obey the measures still in place, including the new ones, because we know our survival depends on them, and, the harder we are on ourselves in obeying them, the quicker and more enduring will be the victory.
To Ghanaians in all parts of the world, I urge you to remain steadfast in abiding by the rules and regulations that have been put in place by your host countries to combat the virus, and I extend the condolences of all your compatriots at home to all families abroad who have lost their loved ones to the virus. And, I take this opportunity to wish our High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and Ireland, my good friend, Papa Owusu Ankomah, who has been affected by the virus, and other Ghanaians abroad who have been so-affected, a speedy recovery. This disease is new, it is in plain evolution, and there is, therefore, as yet, no vaccine or cure. But we know enough to take action, and we shall be nimble and adapt as the situation changes. We will tailor our solutions to our unique social, economic and cultural conditions.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach, but I pledge to you that Government will do whatever is required, in our particular circumstances, to safeguard the lives of our people, and keep our economy going. Discipline, self-discipline, is that strong bridge that all of us, from the safety of our homes, in our workplaces, and in our communities, must build. We need to build a strong bridge of self-discipline in order for us to cross over from this difficult period of restrictions and the spread of the Coronavirus to the other side, where total freedom to go about our normal lives awaits us. To defeat the virus, and get there, we have to accept that we have to wash our hands, maintain good hygiene, refrain from shaking hands, wear our masks, and practice social distancing in all of our engagements. Fellow Ghanaians, we are confronting one of the greatest challenges of our generation. We have to win this battle. We have to defeat the virus.
It is our behaviour and response that will determine that. I have every confidence that, collectively, we, Ghanaians, have it in us to rise to the occasion and become victorious. I am very grateful for the great support you have given my Government and I, as we steer our country out of this crisis. Continue in unity to provide that support. This, too, shall pass, for the Battle is the Lord’s. Me da moa se paa, mon kɔ so ntie masɛm, na yɛn nyinaa ndi nkunim. Min da nyɛ shi waa, nyɛ yaa nɔ ni yɛ boa nwiemɔ tuɛ, koni wɔ fɛɛ wɔ ye nkuni. May God bless us all, and our homeland Ghana, and make her great and strong. I thank you for your attention, and have a good night.   By Akgri M. Daniel

834 Cases

Covid-19: Ghana’s case rises to 834
- Damak update Another 193 people have been confirmed tested positive of the novel virus making Ghana’s cases increased to 834 according to Ghana Health Service.
The GHS official Covid-19 update website has stated that, “The Ghana Health Service is supervising the completion of a backlog of laboratory samples which have been picked for testing as part of the COVID-19 testing exercise. This is after some 57,000 samples have already been successfully tested as at April 15th 2020. In the first batch of this backlog, an additional 198 have been found to be positive.
This will bring Ghana’s total case count to 834 at the moment. The general public is however advised that this does not represent new infections that are occurring. It represents results from tests of a backlog of samples. However, the laboratories have been working day and night to test this large number of samples. Hopefully in the next few days all the testing would be completed.
Total samples tested so far now stands at 60, 916 with 1.37 % testing positive. The results of these backlog of samples when released does not mean the number of new cases recorded on the day of the report. Regions that have reported cases are Greater Accra, Ashanti, Eastern, Northern, Volta, Upper East, Upper West, Central, Western and North East, and the number of deaths recorded remains the same at 8”, it said.   By Akgri M. Daniel

DAMAK call on Waste Management Companies to pay workers

DAMAK Sanitation Watch and Health Call On Waste Management Companies To Pay Workers

On Time A non-governmental Organisation…Damak Sanitation Watch and Health has waded into complains of Zoomlion workers over an outstanding of six months payment arrears own them by the company. Expressing their grievances, stressed that they have committed to work earnestly during the partial lockdown with empty stomach in their bid to serve mother Ghana but their efforts and contributions seems not to be appreciated by the company and the nation as a whole.

Report gathered by DAMAKsanitation Watch and Health has it that, the workers across the country have not been paid since last year October 2019 making living conditions very unbearable to cope up with and the partial lockdown also came and add more injury to their plight. Speaking to some of the workers in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region, averred that, they have been forced to work for these many months without pay and that notwithstanding, they are not given enough protective materials especially when the country and the world is struggling to combat the covid-19…as they demand for their salary, they also need nose marks, alcohol based hand sanitizers, PPEs and hand gloves to enhance their work.
According to them, the president in many occasions affirmed his preparedness to make the country the cleanness city in African and they have committed to clean the cities yet, they are not being frequently paying. Thus, urging the president to intervene for their salary to be released to enable them work effectively to keep the nation clean and healthy.
Damak Sanitation Watch in this regards appealing to the company to whether their grievances are far-fetched or not, constitute pragmatic structures to facilitate on feasible payment modalities to encourage on the workers payment. ‘’
As a nation battling to come out from the world pandemic virus, environmental cleanness plays critically pivotal role in confronting the covid-19. Hence it’s our collective responsibilities to dig the best out of us and contribute our individual quota immensely toward improving the country sanitation challenge. Signed... Akgri M. Daniel CEO of DAMAKsanitation Watch and Health. Contact; 0248998510

GHANA'S COVID-19 DEATHS RISE TO 10 OF 636 CASES

GHANA'S COVID-19 DEATHS RISE TO 10 OUT OF 636 RECORDED CASES.
Ghana has recorded two more Covid-19 deaths, bring the total to 10, the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service confirmed today Tuesday 14th April, 2020, at a press conference in Accra on. He said out of the 636 confirmed Covid-19 cases, “currently, we have only two critically ill people with 10 deaths.”
Dr. Patrick Aboagye also added that 17 patients being treated for Covid-19, the respiratory disease caused by the coronavirus have recovered. “Currently we have 83 people in that category.
A significant number have tested the first negative but we have 17 who have recorded double negatives and are obviously clinically cured.” He added. He further disclosed that out of the 636 confirmed Covid-19 cases in the country, 208 who are all well, asymptomatic, or in mild condition are being treated at home and in isolation centres across the country.
For the 66 patients who have had their first negative test after contracting the disease, the Director-General said they will be tested again and “chances are that they will all test negative again.” He said Greater Accra remains Ghana’s the leading centre of the outbreak with 452 cases. The three-week partial lockdown in some parts of the country, including Greater Accra, Kasoa and Kumasi is on Day 16 as part of the measures to enhance curb the spread of the disease in the country. According to the Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Ghana is doing 1,265 per every one million persons, making her lead in Africa and 14th globally. By ; Akgri M. Daniel

247 CASES OF CSM IN UPPER WEST REGION

247 CASES OF CSM WITH 37-DEATH RECORDED IN UPPER WEST REGION - GHS
The Ghana Health Service has confirmed 247 CSM cases with 37 deaths in the Upper West Region of Ghana. According to GHS, the 247 cases were recorded between March and April this year 2020. In an exclusive interview with the media, Dr Hafiz Bin Salih, the Upper West Regional Minister revealed that, the Cerebral Spinal Meningitis (CSM) has killed 37 people in Upper West Region out of a total number of 247 cases recorded in the last 13 weeks, giving a case fatality rate of 15.4 (%) percent. According to the Regional Minister, the Nadowli-Kaleo District recorded the highest number of 12 deaths out of 74 cases, followed by Nandom District with 10 deaths out of 76 cases.
The Jirapa Municipality is next with 9 deaths out of 42 cases; Wa Municipality, 4 deaths out of 27 cases, while Wa West District and Lawra Municipality recorded 1 death each out of a total of 15 and 8 cases recorded respectively.
Except the Sissala East Municipality, which recorded 5 cases with no death, the other districts remaining in the region namely; Lambussie, Sissala West and Wa East Districts have not recorded any case of the disease yet. Dr Bin Salih said the 15.4 % fatality rate is high, and attributed it to late reporting to health facilities on the part of victims. Hence, urging the general public to consult a doctor at the nearest health facility if one experiences the symptoms.
He also noted that, the Regional and District Public Health Management Committees and the Meningitis Response Team had put in place measures to guide investigations among others in curbing the diseases in the region. This has caused training and use of traditional authorities such as Chiefs, Queen mothers and other stakeholders to support in the sensitization of their respective communities on the signs and symptoms of the disease and the need for early reporting to health facilities.
Efforts have been made in the area of surveillance; laboratory investigations; case management; advocacy, communication, community engagement and social mobilization; and logistics to enhance the fight. Further emphasizes made on logistics by the regional minister, Dr Bin Salih has it that, the existing stock of drugs was not enough, the World Health Organisation (WHO) donated 5,000 vials of ceftriaxone and 1,100 bags of infusion to the region to support case management.
While commending individuals and organisations so far for the support, Dr Bin Salih also called on individuals and corporate organisations to come to the aid of the Region, "No contribution shall be deemed small, we need all hands on deck to slow down the rapid increase of CSM in the Region”. He added.

COVID-19 LOCK DOWN MATTERS ARISING

COVID-19 LOCK DOWN IN GHANA AND MATTERS ARISING
Since the president announced the partial lockdown of the country on the 27th March, 2020, to enable government control and prevent the spread of the virus, confirmed covid-19 cases kept on increasing compelled the president to extend the lockdown for one more week.
The president in his fifth address, declared free supply of water to residents and supply of food to the vulnerable ones in the affected regions in the country. Subsequently, the president announced that, government will fully cover the bills of electricity for low-income consumers for April, May, and June 2020 as the country’s battles the novel coronavirus which has infected 408 people.
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in his address to the nation announced some “bold” measures to mitigate the local impact of the COVID-19 pandemic of which he announced the supply of PPEs, gloves, nose marks, examination gloves shoe covers and many other as vital tools for frontline health workers to protect themselves. All these are pivotal steeps to fight the virus by further extended the lock down but, it did not go down well with some residents in the country of which they expressed their fear of being starved with hunger in their homes. According to them when a community monitoring was conducted in the Ejisu Constituency, the Bosomtwi Constituency, and the Oforikrom constituency, residents did not hide their plight about how the lockdown has caused them and the availability of access to food, hand sanitizers being a problematic.
Even though, government announcement to reduce the prices of low-income electricity consumers has not reflected their lives and appealing to government to consider extending the food supply to everybody because some people are not disable but they strive to eat. Speaking to a trader (name withheld), she lamented that she sells second hand-cloths in the central business hub and because of the lockdown, she hardly get food to eat and she is a mother of two children taken care off and she has no one to support her in the next weeks to come.
"I'm a mother of two, I sell second hand-cloths to take care of my children since my lovely husband passed away 5-year a go but due to the partial lockdown, we find it difficult to get daily bread". She cried. But, one may ask; where is the food government announced to be given to the 40,000 people and how sufficient, or quality of the said food.
To unravel at the authenticity of the food distribution, the Municipal Chief Executive for the Ejisu Municipal, Madam Beatrice Serwa Derkyi, confirmed the poor nature of the food openly expressed worried contended that it is a disgrace to her person and that of the president to distribute such food without meat to people. According to her, she called the regional woman organizer of the led political party in government who is in charge of the distribution of the food together with selected regional executives and complained to her to improve on the quality and quantity of the food if not, she will not distribute the food, because the public complain about the poor state of the food. These mix reactions from the public are not alien to the Regional Minister, Hon.
Simon Osei-Mensah of which he affirmed to address them at the national level. But he was quick to reiterate that the virus is a global pandemic hence, caution all and sundry a heed to the protocols and directives to help avert the covid-19. Story By; Benjami Barnabas Asalimba & Akgri M. Daniel

DAMAK COMMUNITY OPERATION 10,000 SANITIZERS

DAMAK COMMUNITY OPERATION 10,000 SANITIZERS IN THE FIGHT OF COVID-19

DAMAK Sanitation Watch & Health…Is a .non-Governmental organisation that seeks to resolve environmental challenges through publicity, education, and economic empowerment using new innovative mechanisms in our quest to help find accessible and definite health related solutions to society.

Damak in collaboration with IDP International Directhelp Projects had already donated free alcohol based hand sanitizers to orphanage children homes, the Kumasi Children's Hospital, the Ghana Prisons Service, and steeps are being facilitated to advance speedy completion of already commenced water projects in the Ashanti Regional capital of Ghana to provide accessible water to deprive communities in the region in aid of combating the novel coronavirus and community development, and you can follow our blog link for update on our project works…http://damak233.blogspot.com/

Ghana has a population of over 30 million and the Ashanti Region is the second largest populated region with 3million population. And the region have identified as the second hotspots of people affected with the coronavirus, even though, the government of Ghana has layed down strenuous measures through the distribution of medical suppliers, PPEs, nose marks  among others to the various hospitals, but same is not done to individuals especially in the deprive communities.

The country has extended its partial lockdown tightens restriction of people’s movement. And in regards to this further partial lock down, mass rush for protective materials are on high demand compelling the prices of alcohol based hand sanitizers to shot up compelling deprive communities to live by prayers due to financial impediments.

Having identified these challenge confronting people living in the deprive communities, we write this as a proposal seeking for financial support from corporate institutions, individuals, and non-governmental organisations to enable us support the people of Atwima Kwanwoma District in the Ashanti Regional capital of Ghana.

END USERS Deprive communities in affected region in Ghana- Ashanti region
We have targeted to distribute ten thousand (10,000) alcohol based hand sanitizers to the vulnerable ones in the deprived communities in the region for free of charge to enable them combat the covid-19.

Damak shall engage the local District Assembly Members and Unity Committee members and the District Health Directorate to ensure equitable and transparent distribution of products to the vulnerable ones.

REASONS FOR SUPPORT  The outfit have in it endeavors conducted a community survey through the local assembly members and they raised the concerns about the unavailability of hand sanitizers due to scarcity, high  cost of prices, restrictions of movement and more importantly financial obligations.

The selected community even though not Atwima Kwanwoma District alone, but other communities that have no access to protective materials from government to mitigate the spread of the virus and has been a worrying situation confronting residents living in such communities.

PROJECT VALUE/ QUANTITY  We have comparatively did market surveillance on the prices of tested alcohol based hand sanitizers and the moderate and to say the lowest price for 0.5 litre size container is $1.73 united State Dollar.The table below illustrate the value and quantity of sanitizers needed:

ITEM	QTY	UNIT PRICE	TOTAL AMOUNT
Sanitizers	10,000	$1.73	$17,300

There have been several reports of the unavailability of sanitizers, nose marks in the deprive communities to protect themselves against the covid-19 which has been mounting fear and panic in the communities. Through this concerns and fear among the vulnerable ones, we wish to extend a hand of help through your individual donations to allay their fear and further contribute our individual quota in the fight of world pandemic-covid-19.
IDP Accounts: LINK to PayPal: PAYPAL to Pierre Paul P  ... https://paypal.me/pierrepaulp
and Zenith Bank Ghana: Pierre P. Petitjean IDP/DAMAK 4011632058 BIC/SWIFT-Code ZEBLGHACXXX

9th April 2020, updated the nation 6

The President of the republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Thursday night, 9th April 2020, updated the nation on the state of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The president outlined further steps in the fight of coronavirus pandemic by extending the partial lockdown to another one week in the affected regions. The extension of the partial lockdown did not go down well with people in the affected regions due to improper provisions to enhance living standard of the people by the government, hence, calling on government to walk the walk by providing them with food, hand sanitizers and other materials despite the three months free supply of water, is not enough to reflected their lives in the lock down.
This is the full address of the president below. Address: To The Nation By President Of The Republic Of Ghana,
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, On Updates To Ghana’s Enhanced Response To The Coronavirus Pandemic, On Thursday, 9th April, 2020. Fellow Ghanaians, good evening; Today is the sixth time I am coming into your homes since we began our collective effort to combat the Coronavirus pandemic, and to implement measures aimed at containing and defeating it.
GET CORONAVIRUS UPDATES HERE I have, first of all, to tell you how proud and privileged I am to be your President, not just to fight for you, but also to fight with you, and to help shepherd our country out of this crisis. I said, in my last address, that Government’s policy in this entire drama will be largely driven by science. We will, as much as possible, be guided by the data, with our focus on the 3-Ts, i.e. tracing, testing and treatment.
We now see that the decision to close down our borders has been justified. One hundred and five (105) of the confirmed cases came from those who were mandatorily quarantined and tested on their arrival on 21st and 22nd of March. One hundred and ninety-two (192) of the cases came from travelers, who entered our country before the closure, and their contacts. Seventy-nine percent (79%) of the three hundred and seventy-eight (378) confirmed cases are, thus, imported. Clearly, until we have the situation fully under control, we cannot, at this time, open our borders. They will have to remain shut until further notice.
Further, the partial lockdown of Accra and Kumasi has facilitated a more aggressive programme of enhanced contact tracing, with a total of four hundred and fifty (450) teams. Thirty-seven thousand, four hundred and five (37,405) samples have been taken, of which thirty-one thousand, nine hundred and thirty-three (31,933) are in Accra, and five thousand, four hundred and seventy-two (5,472) are in Kumasi. As at Wednesday, 8th April, a total of fourteen thousand, six hundred and eleven (14,611) contacts of the samples collected have been tested for the virus in Accra and Kumasi.
For Accra, eleven thousand, three hundred and eight (11,308) contacts were tested, and fifty-two (52), i.e. zero point four six percent (0.46%), of them were found to be positive. In Kumasi, three thousand and three hundred and three (3,303) contacts have been tested, and twenty-five (25), i.e. zero point seven six percent (0.76%) have been found to be positive. In total, seventy-seven (77) positive cases were recorded in Accra and Kumasi, representing zero point five three percent (0.53%) of the fourteen thousand, six hundred and eleven (14,611) tested.
Whilst the results are encouraging, in suggesting a limited number of positives and community spread, we expect to be able to test some ten thousand (10,000) additional samples in the coming week to give us a clearer picture to enable us take a decision on the way forward. It appears that our common efforts have been modestly successful in containing the virus and minimising its spread. Undoubtedly, the decisions taken from day one (1) to act quickly and decisively, and, impose what may have seemed like harsh restrictions, have now proven to be effective, and have saved a lot of lives. However, this fight is not yet over, and we are by no means out of the woods yet.
As I said, we now have, in total, three hundred and seventy-eight (378) confirmed cases of infections, with six (6) deaths, four (4) recoveries, two (2) in critical condition, and the remaining three hundred and seventy (370) are mild cases, who are in isolation, and are either being managed at home or at treatment centres. Fellow Ghanaians, I have come to you this evening to ask for your continued patience, as we continue to implement and extend the efforts that have, so far, proven to be helpful. It is important that we stay the course, and bear with the difficulties that come with it.
The final result, hopefully, will be freedom from the virus. So, the decision has been taken, through the issuance of an Executive Instrument, to extend the restrictions on movement in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area and Kasoa and the Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area and its contiguous districts by one more week, beginning 1am on Monday, 13th April, subject to review. As part of measures to mitigate the effects of the pandemic on the social and economic life of the country, I indicated, in my last speech, that Government will absorb water bills for all Ghanaians for the next three months, i.e. April, May and June. Furthermore, water tankers, publicly and privately-owned, are being mobilised to ensure the supply of water to vulnerable communities.
We have decided on further measures of mitigation for all Ghanaians for the next three months, i.e. April, May and June. Government will fully absorb electricity bills for the poorest of the poor, i.e. for all lifeline consumers, that is free electricity for persons who consume zero (0) to fifty (50) kilowatt hours a month for this period. In addition, for all other consumers, residential and commercial, Government will absorb, again, fifty percent (50%) of your electricity bill for this period, using your March 2020 bill as your benchmark. For example, if your electricity bill was one hundred cedis (GH¢100), you will pay only GH¢50, with Government absorbing the remaining fifty cedis (GH¢50). This is being done to support industry, enterprises and the service sector in these difficult times, and to provide some relief to households for lost income. Nevertheless, I urge all Ghanaians to exercise discipline in their use of water and electricity.
The food items being distributed in Accra and Kumasi to the vulnerable and needy are being done through NADMO and the MMDCEs, with the assistance of the faith-based organisations, to whom I am rendering a special word of gratitude. I appeal to you, let us, in the meantime, continue to comply with the measures, let us maintain good hygiene and respect the social distancing protocols, even when you are going out to receive the food. But, above all, please stay at home. There have been unfortunate incidents of some persons, in some parts of the affected areas, where the restrictions are in force, flouting the regulations and continuing with the business-as-usual attitude, even to the extent of confronting members of the security services. That should not be countenanced.
The law must be upheld, and it will be. I take no delight in announcing these restrictions, however, let us all remember that they have been put in place for our collective good. The fight against Coronavirus has served as a humbling reminder of the things that matter, the things that cannot be bought, and the things that, all too often, go unappreciated, as a result of the stress of daily life. I refer to the health of those we love; the freedom to work and to congregate; the luxury of spontaneity; and the simple comfort of a handshake or a hug. These are the blessings of normalcy that we are fighting to restore, blessings that we must hold onto with a deeper sense of appreciation, once this pandemic has passed. I express, on all our behalves, our gratitude for the assistance given to us by the Governments of the People’s Republic of China, the United States of America, the African Union, the African Development Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the European Union, and the Jack Ma Foundation. We appreciate their expression of solidarity.
A friend in need is a friend indeed. I thank also all those who have made donations and contributions into the COVID-19 National Trust Fund for this kind gesture. Fellow Ghanaians, today is Maundy Thursday, and tomorrow, a few hours from now, Friday, 10th April, Good Friday, is the start of Easter, which, for us Christians, commemorates the unique sacrifice that our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, made for our salvation on the cross of Calvary.
The season is a good opportunity for all of us to reflect on that ultimate sacrifice and for each one of us also to make a sacrifice for the sake of humanity’s survival. We are used to attending Easter Conventions, making-merry, visiting friends and family, and having a good time. Yes, like a lot of you, I was also looking forward to visiting Kwahu during this time of the year, which I have been doing for several years. However, I am urging all of us to do the exact opposite of what we have been used to for many years. Stay at home. I ask you to keep your distance from your parents, grandparents and extended family, and celebrate this holiday apart.
Do not host a big family gathering, and sternly refuse to attend one if you are invited. Your relatives will understand you are doing this out of love for them. Please, make that sacrifice. Mesrɛ mo, asɛm aa makai, mondi su. Me ma mo afehyia pa Min kpa nyɛ fai, nibii ni nkɛ, nyɛ ye nɔ. Afi oo afi. So, on behalf of my beautiful Rebecca, my children, grandchildren and entire family, and members of Government, I wish you all a joyous and happy Easter, even if a restrained one.
And, let me extend a special Easter goodwill message to our amazing health workers and to the members of our security agencies for their patriotic efforts. May God bless us all, and our homeland Ghana, and make her great and strong. Have a good evening, enjoy the holidays, and I thank you for your attention.

WE SALUTE YOU MR. PRESIDENT FOR THE HASTY RESPONSE TO OUR CALL

DAMAK SANITATION WATCH&HEALTH    6TH APRIL, 2020 PRESS RELEASE

WE SALUTE YOU MR. PRESIDENT FOR THE HASTY RESPONSE TO OUR CALL

Good evening to the people of Ghana especially, our gallant doctors and nurses in the various hospitals in the country conducting their professional duties to save lives.

It is our greatest day to engage your attention to thank the President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for being a listening president to have responded to our earlier call.
The outfit- Damak Sanitation Watch and Health, had early on released a statement urging the government to ensure adequate and accessible water supply to the citizenry to enable them confront the spread of the novel coronavirus.

We deem it a privilege to acknowledge the rapid response from the President as a sign of good leadership and we say thank you, Mr. President.

The President, in his address to the nation on the state of the Covid-19 on 4th April, 2020, affirmed that his outfit would ensure free supply of water to the most affected in the partial lockdown regions and the provision of medical supplies, in conformity with the various protocols to deal with the pandemic. The prompt response to our call signifies the president’s preparedness in the fight against the deadly virus.

Mr. President, we sincerely appreciate your response and further want to ask for more as Oliver Twist will always ask for more. We want to passionately appeal to your good offices once again, to consider subsidising water prices in the private water companies so as to ensure that communities that are not connected to the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) water supply systems would have access to enough water.

We appreciate the numerous efforts by the government to ameliorate the suffering of the ordinary Ghanaian including the free three months’ supply of water. We are at this juncture urging the public not to abuse the gesture by misusing water. We should reciprocate the gesture by using treated water judiciously. In addition, we urge the public to comply with the laid down protocols to help government protect the citizenry and possibly end the deadly Covid-19.

Damak Sanitation Watch and Health in our efforts to complement the efforts of the central government had collaborated with the International Directhelp Projects to donate alcohol based hand sanitizers to Orphanage homes, Kumasi Children's Hospital and Ghana Prisons Service all in Kumasi, and steps are being implemented to advance speedy completion of already commenced water projects in the region to provide accessible water to some deprived communities. The outfit will continue to contribute our quota in the areas of sanitation and good health.

That notwithstanding, we appeal to all well-meaning Ghanaians especially, the various political parties to rally behind the government in these challenging times. And as we do that, the government led by President Akufo Addo should also walk the talk to apprehend the spread of covid-19.

Thank you. Mr. Akgri Mbabugri Daniel (CEO) Damak Sanitation Watch & Health
Tel:0248998510

HOW SAVE IS THE TEST KITS AND PPES BEING DONATING TO HOSPITALS…
APC Chairman Queries GMA The Ashanti Regional Chairman for All Progress Congress (APC), Dr. Kasim Ahmed Sisago has called on the Ghana Medical Association to adopt strategic road map to combat the coronavirus in the country. He raised strenuous concerns about the various donations of medical suppliers, test kits, PPES hand sanitizers to hospitals and institutions by individuals of whether efficiently testing is conducted on them or not. If not, then we are likely to bring strangers into our bed rooms.
As the world constantly searching for remedy to curb the covid-19, we must as a matter of urgency not to take advantage of the unavailability of logistics and open up for the unseen spread of the covid-19 to take us by surprise. We need to be more strategic in our efforts to fight the virus and commit to test every donations coming from individuals and organisations.
According to WHO, the only remedy for now is routine testing and using of nose masks and hand sanitizers and must continually comply with that strict guidelines. Dr. Kasim Ahmed reiterated that, if we adamantly receiving donations without realizing the tricky ways of the virus, by offering our best to control it spread, we will have ourselves to be blamed. We cannot sit back and presume sincerely that all donations are safe; we have to beat the grass to startle the snakes.
The Ghana Medical Association should come out with clear cut methodologies in their expeditions to combat the virus. Government and the Medical Directory have not shown any coherent that they want to enrich the populace with an in depth information about the coronavirus…many communities even including the populated regions are still struggling to be well inform about the dangers and chiefly signs of the virus. Government, he said, by now should have deployed the services of Information Services Department to embark on community awareness creations in our local dialect to enhance effective understanding of the novel coronavirus.
That not said, how many community radio stations have been resourced to educate the populace even though, it’s a global pandemic, but some radio stations are not financially sound to continue allocating their airtime purposely for 24/7 coronavirus education.
As we all crack hard to curb the virus, government, even individuals can donate pick-up vehicles to the MMDCEs for them to mount mega horns to create public awareness in the communities to help save the spread of the virus. ‘’we should note that the routine surveillance cases are on the increase than the mandatory quarantine, cases indicate how serious we should be as a nation’’
Contact him on 0243211026

IDP CONTINUE TO SUPPORT GHANA IN THE FIGHT OF COVID-19

INTERNATIONAL DIRECTHELP PROJECTS CONTINUE TO SUPPORT GHANA IN THE FIGHT OF COVID-19
IDP International Direct Help Projects is a Switzerland non-governmental organisation that has directed their focus in contributing their quota in the fight of coronavirus in Ghana.
The Director, Pierre Petitjean has done it again by supporting the Ghana Prison Services in the Ashanti Region with hand sanitizers as part of measures to observe the spread of covid-19.
The NGO IDP had earlier presented similar hand sanitizers to the Kumasi Children Hospital and steps are being facilitated to advance speedy completion of already commenced water projects in the Ashanti Region of Ghana to provide accessible water to deprive communities.
International DirectHelp Project prime objective is to support the needy in society and fighting of covid-19 is a share responsibility for everyone and we have to collectively strive to combat the world pandemic covid-19.
Presenting the donation on behalf of International DirectHelp projects, the Director of Damak Sanitation Watch and Health, Akgri Mbabugri Daniel, acknowledged the frantic effort of International Directhelp project emphasize that their kind gesture will give hope to the hopeless in society.
The Assistant Officer in charge, ASP Francis Selom Hagbe received  the donation expressed their gratitude thanked the donors for extend their support to the prison services and urged individual organisations to also come to their aid to further build up their confidence in the fight of the covid-19. 0248998510