Minister-designate for Health and outgoing Chief Executive of the National Health Insurance Scheme, Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye, has suggested the possibility of launching a book on Ghana’s efforts in combating the COVID-19 pandemic.
He made this known during a visit to the new Chief of Defence Staff, Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Oppong-Peprah.
“As a member of the COVID-19 task force, I remember the key role that was played by the army. In fact, I remember those dark nights when logistics had to be flown to the north. I remember coming to the Air Force base to fly with your men to go and distribute some of the items. They were frontline workers taking the risk and confronting the virus, and because I was part of the whole battle, by the grace of God, I went through some challenging assignments to put together all our experiences as a country during the two to three years that the virus roamed within our borders. Finally, a book is ready.”
He also reiterated the National Health Insurance Authority’s (NHIA) commitment to supporting all military health establishments.
Chief of Defence Staff, Lt. Gen. Thomas Oppong-Peprah, expressed appreciation for the ongoing collaboration between the military and the NHIA. He emphasized the importance of readiness for future pandemics and underscored the need to establish a biomedical unit.
“There is a need for us to look at establishing a biomedical unit to immediately respond to such outbreaks so that we are not caught unprepared. This is something that we are gradually developing, so at some point in time, we will be calling on your office for advice and guidance and also for us to have effective collaboration in doing this.
“The Armed Forces are also there for disaster management, and as part of that, there is a need for us to build that capacity. So, this idea of establishing a biomedical unit specifically for the outbreak of pandemics is something that I am going to pursue as Chief of Defence Staff.”