Expand COVID-19 testing net – Dr Amuasi urges govt
With Ghana’s coronavirus case count crossing the 20,000 milestone, a lecturer at the Global Health Department of the KNUST School of Public Health, Dr John Humphrey Amuasi, has emphasised on the need for more testing.
He is convinced the high mode of testing adopted by the country has contributed to the relatively low death recorded so far.
“When you are able to identify, test, treat and isolate people, it makes them aware of their status so their attitude towards the virus changes. A change in behaviour will reduce the transmission rate.
“Whenever people get to isolate, they become self-conscious and reduce their contacts. You end up with less spread and therefore a better outcome. I think this is what is reflecting in our lower death rate,” he said in a Joy News interview monitored by theghanareport.com.
According to the lecturer, testing remains one of the most effective ways of identifying those who are infected by the deadly virus and put in the necessary measures to control the spread of the pathogens.
Dr Amuasi reiterated the need to expand the testing capacity in order to focus not only on the symptomatic patients but also on the asymptomatic patients.
“Currently, in Ghana, 82% of COVID-19 active cases are asymptomatic whereas the remaining 18% are symptomatic cases. These cases are being managed at treatment and isolation centers across the country,” he indicated.
“The number of tests per million conducted is what has done a lot for the country as compared to other neighbouring countries with relatively high death rates.
“This is why I am a bit concerned about the move to focus the testing only on what we call symptomatic rather than expanding our testing so that we can keep on catching more, isolate more and treat more to impinge our death rate”, he indicated.
He further mentioned that the country does not appear to have fully complied with the safety protocols advised by the Health Ministry.
Since Ghana recorded its first case on March 12, the death rate as of July 22, 2020, stands at 153 with the number of cases recorded being 28, 989.
The country has conducted more than 346,990 tests, making it one of the best African countries to have conducted more testing.
The Deputy Minister of Health, Bernard Oko Boye, gave an update on the testing done so far on the floor of Parliament.
He also said the cost of one Polymerise Chain Reaction (PCR) test on average was U$100 for a suspected case.
Click on the link to find the data on the COVID-19 testing capacity of 27 African countries.