Head of Virology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), Professor William Kwabena Ampofo
It has been disclosed that the country’s testing capacity of the novel coronavirus pandemic which saw a marginal decline is back on full gear with the country taking delivery of some necessary testing equipment.
Coordinator of Ghana’s COVID-19 testing programme, Professor William Ampofo, says all ten of the country’s testing centres have taken delivery of bulk testing equipment, reagents and Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs).
“I am glad to report that as I mentioned in the previous briefing the ten existing testing sites have received enough supplies to enhance testing at these sites and distribution has already been done. We have procured examination gloves, nucleic acid, isolation kits and the PCR detention kits,” he stated.
Prof Ampofo who was speaking to newsmen over the weekend added that “While these were coming into the country, we also did an emergency procurement through the Ghana Health Service supported by the COVID Trust and those items also arrived last week. These are very important items especially for Noguchi and KCCR because they enable us to do automated extraction of the nucleic acid and this will help us get through the backlog which is the point of interest for some of us.”
Distribution
He noted that the government has so far distributed close to 50,000 PCR kits and close to 30,000 nucleic acid extraction kits which form the basis for PCR testing to the various testing centers in the country. This he said are plans to replenish the various centers with these kits so they do not go out of stock.
He explained that aside government’s plan to replenish the testing centers so they do not run dry, there is a detailed plan to strengthen the country’s PCR testing capacity using the GeneXpert platforms. He said with the identification of six new testing sites by government and the coming on stream of about 40,000 testing kits, the various testing sites will be able to work around the clock to make sure samples are tested as and when they are received.
Declining active cases
Meanwhile, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has asked the public to pay particular attention to the active cases of COVID-19 in the country as it is the major indicator of the government’s effort in the fight against the virus.
The GHS has stated that a focus on the active cases will show that Ghana’s Covid-19 cases are declining.
It explained that the cumulative cases, which most Ghanaians focus on, represent the total number of cases that is being managed, adding the country has been recording high recovery rates lately.
Director-General of the GHS, Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, said: “In Ghana today, the active case trend is declining, and this is very good news. Our target is to keep it declining.”
He noted that when the citizenry continues to observe the safety protocols, the state can overcome the virus soon.
The country’s cumulative positive cases now stand at 27,060, with total recoveries/discharges of 23,044. The active cases now stand at 3,871, from the previous figure of over 4,000, with 145 deaths.
