MP, Krobos in US stock Atua, Akuse hospital isolation centers

Member of Parliament (MP) for Lower Manya Krobo has in collaboration with Krobos in the United States of America donated some medical items to the Atua and Akuse Government Hospitals as part of efforts to help fight the coronavirus pandemic in the constituency.

Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi (MP) together with the group donated 20 electronic beds, bedsheets, hand sanitizers, washing basins, veronica buckets, disinfectants, etc. to the two facilities to help curb the spread of the pandemic.

Explaining the motivation behind the donation, Mr. Terlabi said isolation remains an effective means of controlling the pandemic and he had no option but to respond the hospitals’ appeal for assistance to establish the centers. “In the management of this problem, one thing we need to do is to create an isolation center for victims of this pandemic,” said the lawmaker adding that he realized through his interaction with the hospitals’ administration that they indeed had created isolation centers and needed some support to make them operational.

Lower Manya Krobo has recorded its first case of the disease on Wednesday and the legislator said the donation became necessary as a precautionary measure to stem the spread of the disease.

According to him, he was motivated to confer with Krobos in the US on how best to support the hospitals following his consultation with the hospital authorities which revealed that the two facilities needed equipment and other items to stock the newly established isolation centers.

The gesture, he noted was to help the paramedics in the two health facilities including doctors, nurses and other hospital staff battling the coronavirus to protect themselves.

Ghana’s current covid-19 confirmed cases stand at 204 with 5 deaths and 31 recoveries and though the lawmaker believes his earlier calls for closure of Ghana’s borders could have averted this situation if heeded, he was nevertheless relieved the step had been taken to seal all routes to the country including land, air and sea and was hopeful the move would prevent the country’s exposure of its people to the invasion of the virus.

He said the extent of spread would have been lower if government had prevented returnees from integrating into society and cautioned government not to wait for the disease to get out of hand and encouraged the public to go by all the preventive measures to curb the situation.

Asked if the constituency was ready to contain the virus should there be an outbreak, this is what he had to say: “Our readiness depends on you and me. The only way to curb this pandemic is cleanliness. Observe basic hygiene, adhere to the ban on mass gatherings, regular handwashing, don’t touch your face, wearing of face mask, using hand sanitizers, etc.,” he advised.

Acting Matron of the Atua Government Hospital, Christine Vanden-Bossche disclosed that though the facility had recorded four suspected cases of the virus, all tests had proved negative.

She praised the lawmaker and the Krobos in the US for their support and show of generosity to the hospital and called on others to emulate their kindness. She said the items had come at the right time and it would enhance service delivery.

The Acting Matron said the items would be useful in resuscitating patients before being transferred to appropriate facilities for further medical treatment or until personnel are brought in to reduce the spread of the infection.

Madam Vanden-Bossche was grateful that the extra beds would enable the facility hold more patients but however appealed for more equipment to enhance its efficiency.

The legislator, a biomedical scientist prior to the donation embarked on an extensive coronavirus awareness campaign to help fight the pandemic, aimed at helping raise awareness, sensitize and avert the spread of the deadly disease in the constituency.

Mr. Terlabi as part of the awareness campaign also donated several covid-19 prevention items including veronica buckets, liquid soaps, rolls of tissues, hand sanitisers, carbolic soaps, among many other items to various groups in the area.

He however assured the people of his continuous assistance to contribute his quota to prevent the virus from spreading across the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality.

Government as part of efforts to control the pandemic has placed a ban on all public gatherings and has announced a partial lockdown in the Greater Accra Region, Greater Kumasi and Kasoa effective Monday, 30 March 2020.