Coronavirus: Don’t stigmatize those who have recovered – Deputy Minister of Health

As the COVID-19 pandemic hit Ghana, the cumulative case count as today stands at 8,070 with 2,947 recoveries. But most of these people who have recovered from the virus find themselves suffering stigmatization in their communities.

The Deputy Minister of Health, Dr. Bernard Okoe-Boye has disclosed that the same people who suffer stigmatization because they have recovered from the coronavirus can actually contribute to the fight against the virus.

According to him, the plasma cells of the people who have recovered from the virus have been used for treatment.

Speaking in an interview on Happy 98.9 FM’s ‘Epa Hoa Daben’ with Afrifa-Mensah, Dr. Okoe-Boye stated, “Plasma treatment is being used abroad to treat the virus and the results are promising. When someone is infected by the virus, the plasma cells of a recovered patient is given to the individual to help save them. Don’t stigmatize those with the virus, they may be our saviours in the future.”

He also noted that when an individual recovers from COVID-19, that person develops a level of immunity for up to a year or two. And if these individuals test positive for the virus once more, their clinical presentations are not as severe as compared to individuals who have newly contracted the virus.

Dr. Okoe-Boye furthered that with the levels of immunity obtained by COVID-19 recoveries, “these people will be able to serve as volunteers and help in the fight against the virus should it spread further in the country.”

He reiterated, “We must stop stigmatizing those who have recovered from the virus.”