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President Nana Akufo-Addo says airlines that defy instructions for polymerized chain reaction (PCR) testing of passengers to detect Covid-19 at the airport will face punitive action.
In his 19th address to the nation on measures to curb the spread of the global pandemic on Sunday, he said: “Airport authorities will continue to require that passengers arriving in the country be in possession of a 72-hour negative PCR test. and we will continue to sanction airlines that violate this directive. “
“With the imposition of strict testing measures at the airport, so far we have been able to detect 172 positive cases among some 54,000 arriving international passengers.”
The president said Ghana Health Service officials will step up the process of monitoring the disembarkation of international passengers, even when they have tested negative.
According to him, this is to help ensure that the country has ruled out any possibility of someone contracting the virus during departure or arrival procedures.
“In the area of testing, I have tasked the Ministry of Health, through the Ghana Health Service (GHS), to liaise with all laboratories and testing facilities across the country to ensure that testing procedures notification are defined and fulfilled, ”he said. .
“As our hospitalization rates are very low, caring for the sick and providing treatment remains an important aspect of our strategy,” he said.
To this end, President Akufo-Addo said that the 100-bed Ghana Infectious Disease Center at Ga East Hospital would open to the public in the coming days, under GHS management.
The President said that the provision of adequate medicines, personal protective equipment and equipment has also been ensured so that health workers can care for patients at home.
He said the government, in trying to mitigate the effects of the pandemic, had put in place a series of measures to protect Ghanaians and joint ventures.
