Mandatory Violation of the $ 150 Coronavirus Testing Fee of International Health Regulations – BPS

General news for Wednesday, September 2, 2020

Source: Class FM

2020-09-02

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The Bureau of Public Safety (BPS) requests the immediate withdrawal of the $ 150 COVID-19 testing fee at Kotoka International Airport.

A statement issued by the Office indicated that the imposition of the test charges upon arrival at Kotoka International Airport is “a direct contravention of the International Health Regulations (IHR) of the World Health Organization.”

Kotoka International Airport was reopened to human traffic on September 1, 2020, but passengers must pay $ 150 for the PCR COVID-19 test.

But BPS insinuates that the action is “a serious violation of Part VII of the International Health Regulations (2005), which establishes, among other things, that ‘Except for travelers seeking temporary or permanent residence, a State Party shall not charge for any medical examination provided for in the IHR, or any complementary examination that may be required by that State Party to determine the health status of the traveler examined for the protection of public health. ‘(Article 40, paragraph 1 and 1 (a)) ”.

However, the Office praised the government’s efforts to control the coronavirus, while calling for the speedy implementation of the International Health Regulations.

Read the full statement below:

The honorable minister

Ministry of Health

Accra

Dear Sir,

VIOLATION OF INTERNATIONAL HEALTH REGULATION: $ 150 PER TRAVELER MANDATORY FEE FOR COVID-19 TESTING AT THE GHANA AIRPORT PORT

The Bureau of Public Safety (BPS) is writing to draw your attention to a direct violation of the International Health Regulations (IHR) of the World Health Organization by the Government of Ghana that requires your immediate attention.

Following the lifting of the ban on air travel by the Government of Ghana on September 1, 2020, the Ministry of Health, together with the Ghana Health Service, has instituted a mandatory COVID-19 testing fee of $ 150 to be applied to travelers upon disembarkation at Kotoka International Airport. This is apparently part of the government’s measures to stop the international spread of the new corona virus.

As a committed and socially committed organization, the BPS enthusiastically welcomes efforts to stop the spread of the new corona virus. However, we consider that the Government’s decision to compulsorily charge all travelers a test fee of $ 150 USD is a serious violation of Part VII of the International Health Regulations (2005), which states, among other things, that ‘Except for travelers seeking temporary or permanent residence, no A State Party will charge for any medical examination provided for in the IHR, or any complementary examination that may be required by that State Party to determine the health status of the traveler examined for the protection of the public health. ‘(Article 40, paragraph 1 and 1 (a))

Therefore, the BPS wants to request your outfit to:

1. Withdraw the trial fee of USD 150 per traveler in full with immediate effect,

2. Maintain the 72-hour trip / take-off test requirement, and

3. Apply a mandatory 14-day self-isolation regime for passengers arriving without a PCR test performed within the last 72 hours.

The BPS hereby calls upon your senior leadership to be guided by the purpose and scope of the IHR (2005), which is to “prevent, protect, control, and provide a public health response to the international spread of disease in a manner consistent with and restricted to risks to public health, and that avoid unnecessary interference with international traffic and trade ”.

In addition, we wish to call on the Director General of the World Health Organization to urge all States Parties that subscribe to the IHR (2005) that violate these regulations, to immediately and fully apply the International Health Regulations (2005), in accordance with the purpose and scope set forth in Article 2 and the principles incorporated in Article 3. In fact, we are not in normal times and therefore an attentive and responsive World Health Organization is what the world especially poor and middle-income countries, I need right now.