Ranking Member on Health Committee of Parliament, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Minority caucus in Parliament wants government to as a matter of urgency institute a COVID-19 testing policy for ship crews in order to ensure the general safety of Ghanaians.
In a statement signed by the Ranking Member on Health Committee of Parliament, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh and sighted by Kasapafmonline.com said there is currently no protocol with regards to ship crews arriving at Ghana’s sea ports.
“There are no recommended antigen or PCR tests for those individuals and considering the fact that COVID spreads in confined spaces and some of these crew members may have stayed for weeks in close quarters with others who may be infected,” the statement by the Juaboso lawmaker said.
The minority in its statement also urged government to increase routine surveillance to prevent a third wave of COVID infections “like we witnessed in the early part of the year.”
Meanwhile, government is scheduled to take delivery of some 350,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine from the COVAX facility on Tuesday, May 4, 2021, President Akufo-Addo has announced.
“Indeed, we are receiving 350,000 more Astrazenca vaccines from the COVAX facility on Tuesday in addition to the first consignment of the 600,000 vaccines we received on the 24th of February 2021,” he said while addressing a mini May Day celebration at the premises of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in Accra last Saturday.
Also by mid-May, the government will procure some 1.3 million doses of Sputnik V vaccines from Russia.
The government is ensuring the entire adult population of Ghana gets vaccinated by the end of the year.