14 Ghanaian medical lab scientists test positive for Covid-19

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One out of 14 laboratory scientists who tested positive for Covid-19, is  being monitored under intensive care, the Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists (GAMLS) has disclosed.

The Association says the victims, drawn from six regions across the country, are receiving treatment at various health facilities.

“We’ve gathered information of 14 medical laboratory scientists who are being infected and are being managed for Covid-19,” said Dr Dennis Adu Gyasi, spokesperson for GAMLS adding that: “This is a worrying situation and we are still monitoring to see how best they’re being managed.”

“No life has been lost”, Dr Gyasi added.

Health workers stigmatized in Ghana

While health workers fighting the deadly virus have been cheered around the world, Ghanaian health workers complain of insults, stigma and discrimination.

The country has so far recorded 8,070 Covid-19 cases with 36 deaths and over 2000 recoveries. But health workers say they are presumed to carry the virus, shunned in public, and even evicted from rented homes.

“The issues of stigmatization is enormous to the extend that some of them may want to be transferred and change their location of work… because people tend to point figures at them especially in smaller communities… but we will keep talking to them to give them psychological help,” Dr Gyasi told Dailymailgh.com.

Demands

GAMLS said the regions with identified cases include; Volta, Ashanti, Greater Accra, Western, Eastern and Central Regions.

Dr Gyasi wants government to, as a matter of urgency, to upgrade various laboratories in all the 16 regions.

“Now that we have eased restrictions, we will urge the government to put our laboratories to the level of Biosafety Level 2; so that all Covid-19 samples will be handled appropriately,” Dr Gyasi stressed.

By Jonathan Ofori, Daily Mail GH

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