Rising COVID-19 cases could overwhelm health facilities – GHS

The Ashanti Regional Directorate of the Ghana Health Service fears its facilities and workforce  may soon be overwhelmed with critical COVID-19 cases if the rising incidence of the virus is not immediately addressed.

The region is experiencing an upsurge in COVID-19 cases, creating apprehension among managers of the Health Service.

The Deputy Regional Director for Public Health, Dr. Rockson Adjei told Citi News that the situation is scary.

“The way things are going, if the status quo does not change, we will be overwhelmed in terms of admission capacity because no matter the number of beds we have, if preventive measures are not enforced, we are going to have an overwhelming admission and the workforce might not be able to match the load of admissions that may come.”

He said only two treatment centres for COVID-19 are currently functional in the region, a situation he believes could complicate the management of COVID-19 cases in the region.

“Currently, two treatment centres are functional, that is Komfo Anokye [Teaching Hospital] and Kumasi Central [Hospital]. In Komfo Anokye, we can take up to 30 and in Kumasi Central, up to 25. So our bed capacity for COVID-19 management is not the best. We are more concerned about the severe and critical cases.”

The rise in COVID-19 cases in the Ashanti Region seems to be a reflection of the general spike in cases across the country.

The Bono East Regional Health Director, Dr. Frederick Adomako Boateng had earlier disclosed to Citi News that the region recorded 77 new COVID-19 cases within the last two weeks.

He said the surge in infections in the past two weeks raises the total number of COVID-19 cases recorded in the region since 2020 to 1,533.

Amidst this situation, the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has expressed worry about the state of the country’s health system.

The Association said the country may not be able to accommodate the rising cases should the trend continue.