The Society of Private Medical and Dental Practitioners-Ghana (SPMDP) have asked Government to include them in the fight against the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic in the country.
In support of the national response to the outbreak of the covid-19 in Ghana, the group has, consequently, made some suggestion to the Government through the Ghana Health Service for consideration.
SPMDP is asking Government to include them as front liners, in the ongoing case detection effort which involved screening and contact tracing.
Again, SPMDP, has asked Government to include private health facilities as part of the centers designated for testing and screening of suspected cases of the covid-19 pandemic.
This, they posited, will help speed up the testing and screening processes while reducing pressure on government hospitals.
Aside from this, SPMDP is also asking Government to prioritise the provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and other essential commodities, required for the prevention of the disease, to private health facilities who remain front liners in the provision of health care to Ghanaians.
“Without PPEs, the private healthy facilities will be unable to assist with the battle against Covid-19 as it will put our lives and that our staff at risk”, the SPMDP said in at a press conference held in Accra on Friday, March 27, 2020.
It was addressed by the Vice President of the SPMDP, Dr Fiifi Sam, who doubles as the CEO of Siden Medical Centre in Tema, the Secretary of the society, Dr Aramansah Barnor Forjoe, and Dr Nii Hanson Nortey, member
Ghana’s situation with Covid-19
Ghana has, so far, has recorded 152 cases, including 5 deaths and two recoveries, as the last update yesterday, March 29, 2020.
And to contain the situation in order to prevent a further spread of the virus across the country, President of the republic, His Excellence Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo-Addo, has declared a two-week partial lockdown in Accra, Tema and the Greater Kumasi Metropolis.
The lockdown starts from today, Monday, March 30, 2020.
The announcement was made in a televised address to the nation late Friday, March 27, 2020.
This means that movement of persons resident in the affected areas will be restricted to attendance to only essential services.
Transport operators within the lockdown areas will not work for the entire period, however food vendors and some other state and private essentially service providers, including the media, have been exempted from the lockdown.
Commended Gov’t effort
The SPMDP, therefore commended the Ministry of Health and Government for taking steps to ensure that the covid-19 disease is contained and not allowed to spread to the entire country.
However, the SPMDP, remarks that the measures being rolled out by Government to prevent a possible nationwide spread of the virus could only be effective if citizens strictly adhere to the guidelines as put out.
Adhering to the measure, the SPMDP believes, will help to halt the spread and break the chain of transmission.
In addition to this, they also advise the general public to observed all the precautionary measure such as regular hand washing with soap under running water for at least 20 seconds, before entering or leaving any public place and the use of hand sanitizers, containing 70 percent alcohol, in the absence of water.
“It is important for all persons involved in non-essential services to STAY AT HOME”, they statement added.
The SPMDP
The Society of Private Medical and Dental Practitioners (SPMDP), is a major stakeholder in health care delivery in Ghana.
Birthed in 1968, the society is formed by a group of Doctors and Dentists who moved into the private sector and established private self-financing medical facilities and dental clinics.
The group has, since its formation 52 years ago, consistently provided quality health care to the people of Ghana and other foreign nationals.
