Coronavirus: 4 doctors dead in under 4 months, 150 medical doctors infected – GMA

The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has announced the death of four doctors attributed to COVID-19 infections.

The four doctors died at separate times within a period of less than four months since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

The first to succumb to the infection was Professor Jacob Plange-Rhule, a Consultant Physician and a former Rector of the Physicians and Surgeons College.

He died on April 10 and has subsequently been buried.

In June, the Medical Superintendent of the Kwadaso SDA Hospital, Dr Harry Owusu Boateng, followed his senior.

The 48-year-old Specialist Paediatrician died at home on Saturday, June 13, 2020, a few days after he complained of being unwell.

Retired Orthopaedic Surgeon Dr Emmanuel Twagirayesu followed shortly.

The latest to have died was Dr Richard Kisser of the Trust Hospital in Accra. The Consultant Surgeon passed on at the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC).
“These fallen heroes have contributed immensely to the medical profession and their untimely demise constitutes a big loss to the fraternity,” the GMA said in a statement released on July 3.

The GMA consequently called for a minute’s silence to be held in honour of the deceased medical professionals by its members on Monday, July 6, 2020.

At the same time, the association disclosed “over 150 medical doctors and dentists have been infected with SARS-COV-2”.

They have therefore entreated medical staff across the country “to observe all Infection Prevention Control (IPC) protocols strictly”.

The association said it was working with stakeholders to ensure that the government address issues about welfare, adequate PPEs and test kits.

A laboratory technician also died of coronavirus, leaving behind a wife and a two-month-old baby.

He was a staff at the Weija-Gbawe Municipal hospital in the Greater Accra Region, and died on Monday, June 22, 2020, at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.

The death of a community health nurse was also reported at the Ghana Manganese Company (GMC) Hospital in Nsuta in the Western Region.

The Western Regional branch of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives’ Association, in a statement announcing the demise of 54-year-old Sophia Addo, said prior to her infection she was assigned to the pre-triage area and actively partook in screening and treating patients.

She died on May 8, two days after she reported sick.

As at Saturday, June 4, Ghana had recorded 19, 388 total cases. 14, 330 have overcome the disease to recover with 4, 941 active cases under treatment.

The death toll has also risen to 117.