Coronavirus depriving young health professionals of expert training – Doctors cry out

In the few months of the presence of COVID-19 in Ghana, health workers in the country have raised concerns over the country’s lack of preparedness in fighting the pandemic as these health workers have at some point lacked PPEs or have come into contact with patients who are asymptomatic.

These occurrences have accounted for the contracting of the illness by some health workers and regrettably resulted in the deaths of some health workers.

Speaking on this happenings, Doctor at the Okomfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Dr.Bernard Hammond has indicated that the COVID-19 disease is claiming the lives of health experts who would have otherwise developed the younger generation of health professionals.

In an interview with Samuel Eshun on the Happy Morning Show, he disclosed: “It is disheartening because you know that these experts who have lost their lives have gone through the mill of experience. For example, we can talk about Professor Jacob Phlange-Rhule who was the rector of the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons; a body that is in charge of the training of doctors to become specialists. All these people have either gone through the mill or have been heads of organizations and have gained experience that was supposed to be passed on to the younger generation. Sadly these people are no more. But we still encourage ourselves and still move on in the battle”.

Dr.Hammond deplored the failings in our health systems as he noted that these health professionals should have been the recipients of the best medical treatment. According to him, the COVID-19 has exposed the dent in the health system as people are unable to access healthcare abroad during this period.

“It is disturbing especially when you think about the fact that these people should have had access to the best medical care available. It also exposes the pitfalls in our health care system. Previously, it was normal to move a sick person abroad for treatment but now that option is not available and we have to look inward. So this is now highlighting the problems in our health care systems”.

Nevertheless, the increasing number of deaths of health professionals according to the Doctor has not dampened their [health professionals’] spirits. He notes, “We are worried but we are not downhearted”.

The concerns raised by the medical practitioners have become even more important as some Ghanaian medical students have recently graduated and are waiting to begin their housemanship in October.

The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has disclosed that four medical officers have so far died with more than a hundred and fifty (150) battling for their lives since the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic broke out in the country.