The disclosure by the Minister of Health, Kwabena Minta Akandoh, on the floor of Parliament on Tuesday, July 1, about a resurgence of COVID-19 cases at the University of Ghana, Legon, campus must not be taken lightly.
According to the Minister, out of 316 suspected cases tested, 107 have been confirmed primarily driven by the Omicron variant. Though there have been no hospitalizations or deaths so far, this development is a stark reminder of the harrowing global crisis that unfolded in 2020.
While it is comforting that the current infections, have not resulted in severe illness or fatalities, complacency would be a dangerous response.
The health authorities, along with all relevant stakeholders, must act swiftly to contain this outbreak before it escalates into a national crisis.
Ghana is already grappling with a growing number of Mpox infections, and the last thing the country needs is a dual epidemic.
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As a nation, we must not forget the heavy toll COVID-19 previously exacted on our economy. The erstwhile New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration, led by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, during its tenure, cited the pandemic as one of the principal causes of the economic downturn that ultimately led to the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP) infamously dubbed the “haircut” that affected many investors. We simply cannot afford a repeat of that situation.
This newspaper, therefore calls on the Ministry of Health, the Ghana Health Service, and all other relevant agencies to ramp up surveillance, testing, and public education.
Vaccination drives must be reignited where necessary, and contingency plans reviewed and reinforced.
Equally important is the role of the general public. We must not abandon the very protocols that helped us navigate the height of the pandemic, including regular handwashing, use of face masks in high-risk areas, and social distancing where appropriate. These simple acts can go a long way in curbing the spread of the virus.
We are heartened by the fact that, as of now, there have been no deaths linked to the new infections. It is our fervent hope that this remains the case. No life should be lost to COVID-19, not now, not ever again.
Let this be the wake-up call we need, not a prelude to another national emergency.
