ECOWAS sets US$50 maximum cost for coronavirus testing

The Economic Community for West African States has made a resolve to set a US$50 amount to be paid by citizens of member countries in order to gain access to COVID-19 testing.

This is according to a communique issued following the 58th Ordinary Session of Authority of Heads of State and Government on January 23, 2021.

The communique explains the measure forms part of the sub-regional body’s efforts to curb and fight the spread of the pandemic in a much timely manner. It adds that the Authority of Heads of State and Government have also agreed on a collective procurement approach for COVID-19 vaccines.

Ghana’s President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on his part has earlier assured citizens government was working to procure vaccines by March 2021 with government set to begin negotiations with international pharmaceutical companies to source a suitable COVID-19 vaccine for Ghana.

This comes after the completion of a task by the Committee set up by Ghana’s government to make recommendations for the procurement of COVID-19 doses to fight the virus.

Meanwhile, Africa has not been spared the wrath of the coronavirus pandemic with cases recorded totalling 3.49 million so far, 2.97 million recoveries and a death toll of 87,937 according to the Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

So far, the Africa Centre for Disease Control on January 19, 2021 announced the beginning of a COVID-19 vaccine pre-order program for all African Union (AU) member states.

South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa and AU Chairperson earlier in January announced it has secured a provisional 270 million doses of vaccines through the African Vaccine Acquisition Task Team.