Celebrating Gideon Lamptey’s life as a port frontline health worker

Can you imagine having to be in close contact with the dreaded coronavirus on a daily basis?

Imagine the anxiety that could be associated with whether or not you have been infected with COVID-19, due the nature of your work?

Imagine having to continually observe the strictest level of precautions against COVID-19 in your everyday life?

Unlike most people, the slightest mistake on your part does not only endanger yourself and immediate contacts but can severely jeopardize the outcomes of someone’s health diagnosis?

That is the life of Gideon Lantei Lamptey, a Senior Medical Laboratory Scientist at the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority’s Clinic.

Gideon is 38 years, and married with three children, and a native of Jamestown British Accra and an alumnus of the School of Allied Sciences, University of Ghana, and the University of Liverpool, where he gained higher learning.

Gideon is a fellow of the West African Post-Graduate College of Medical Laboratory Scientists.

He has been at the very front of coronavirus related interactions since the outbreak of the pandemic.

On the average day, he plays a key role in the diagnosis of medical conditions at the clinic. But now, he plays a much more crucial role in case management of COVID-19 at the GPHA Clinic.

Gideon has been pivotal in the screening of crew members during the arrival of vessels at the Tema Port in these times of preventing the importation and spread of the coronavirus.

“Desperate times calls for desperate measures. We know the port is also an entry point so we quickly have to do what had to be done, to ensure that our clients and staff who access the ports here are protected,” he said.

The medical laboratory scientist described the difficulty of participating in port activities but emphasized how he needed to adapt to enable him contribute efficiently to the fight against COVID-19 at the ports of Ghana, which is considered a major avenue to the importation of the disease.

“I had a short training from the harbour master. I was given basic tutoring on what to do in order to climb the monkey ladder. I had no swimming experience, so it was just sheer bravery.”

Gideon also been crucial in the sensitization campaign the Medical Services Department of GPHA embarked on, prior to and after the confirmation of positive COVID-19 cases in Ghana.

He revealed the challenges associated in terms of convincing patients to collaborate by offering the right information and assistance.

“There’s been the issue of stigma about the COVID-19. There are many times that we would even go to a contact house to go and take the sample, and immediately you leave there, the whole area would tag the one tested as having the virus,” he cited.

Gideon Lamptey has worked in his medical field for more than a decade, and has previously served in the Liberia treatment centre, during the Ebola pandemic.

Being a family man, Gideon is so keen on his personal protection and in addition to strictly following the health protocols, has already tested on 3 occasions to ensure he is not infected with the coronavirus.