The Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council (GA/RCC) has acknowledged and honored 5,904 frontline healthcare workers for their significant contributions to combatting the COVID-19 pandemic within the region.
During a presentation event in Accra held yesterday, Henry Quartey, the Greater Accra Regional Minister, praised these workers for their unwavering dedication and unwavering commitment, both of which played a pivotal role in the successful implementation of measures aimed at containing the spread of the virus.
The objective behind the awards is to formally recognize and celebrate the endeavors of these workers during the pandemic. This recognition serves as an incentive for not only healthcare personnel, but also those in various sectors, by conveying that their diligent efforts are genuinely valued.
Among the honorees are individuals who served as contact tracers, drivers, researchers, disease control and surveillance teams, laboratory technicians, nurses, doctors, pharmacists, and buriers.
These individuals represented a diverse array of health and other institutions entrusted with spearheading the pandemic response efforts.
Reflecting on the region’s encounter with COVID-19, Mr. Quartey highlighted that it emerged as the primary hub of the pandemic within the nation, accounting for over 50% of all reported cases.
Consequently, this situation exerted excessive strain on healthcare facilities and staff, resulting in certain personnel exceeding their regular duties and stretching their capabilities to manage the pandemic effectively.
In response, the Regional Minister commended healthcare personnel and fellow citizens for their resourcefulness, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit, which complemented the government’s efforts to contain the disease’s propagation.
“The period saw the invention and reinvention of tools, materials and processes to support the fight.
It also showed how together, we are able to achieve plenty.
“Our facilities were tested, our personnel were tested and our nation was tested, but we showed tenacity and resilience.
“At our worst, when some of the suburbs of Accra were locked down, notwithstanding the usual Ghanaian nature of flouting every rule, we survived the heat and men and women of the health profession were all out ensuring we overcame the pandemic,” Mr Quartey said.
He expressed gratitude to health professionals who contracted the virus and those who lost their lives in the line of duty and service to the nation, saying that they would be remembered forever.
“Through your hard work and dedication, and the commitment of the government, Ghana was among the first nations that received lots of commendation for the measures put in place to contain the virus and was thus part of the first countries to be declared best fighters against COVID-19. We are here today because of you.
The nation honours you today as a recognition of your unwavering fight to the pandemic,” Mr Quartey stated.
Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, has revealed that collaborative efforts are being undertaken with various agencies to establish strategies that will better prepare the country for potential future outbreaks.
These strategies encompass bolstering infection prevention and control measures, ensuring the availability of essential medications, refining early warning systems, and enhancing overall public health responses.
Acknowledging the government’s recognition, Rev. Dr. Ebenezer Asiamah, the Chairman of the Greater Accra Regional Directors of Health, expressed gratitude while underscoring the lack of an insurance policy for healthcare workers. He emphasized that this absence serves as a demotivating factor for health workers, who face diverse risks while delivering their services.
Rev. Dr. Asiamah urged the government to integrate health workers’ perspectives into the formulation of national policies and create an environment that encourages health professionals to willingly serve in rural areas.