Telecom Chamber provides platforms to prevent spread of coronavirus 

The Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications has offered its platforms to the Ghana Health Service to be used to prevent the spread of the deadly coronavirus.

Speaking to Joy FM, Chief Executive for the Telecommunication Chamber, Ken Ashigbey explained that the action plan being finalised by the Ministry of Communications will be implemented in two phases.

He said the plan will allow them to provide toll-free numbers that will help Ghanaians reach out to the people in charge to report cases of suspected coronavirus. 

READ ALSO : Mahama calls on stakeholders to take bold stance on Coronavirus

"We would explore the possibilities of being able to offer some toll-free numbers so that citizens would be able to reach out to duty bearers, we will also want to be able to use our networks to send out the right information and dispel rumour, we will ensure that people know what actually they need to do, and definitely we are also reaching out to telecom players within other markets that have the situation so that we will be able to learn from what is happening there......"

According to him, phase two if the need be will focus on using data to track the movement of persons in affected areas of the virus.

"The second phase, we also need to look at how we can use the telecommunication industry even the data that we have to be able to predict movement, we should also be able to deploy applications that would help people know what to do when these things happened."

Health Minister to brief Parliament today

Health Minister, Kwaku Agyeman Manu will today, March 4 brief Parliament for the second time within a month over the preparedness of the country to deal with the Coronavirus outbreak.

Coronavirus has claimed several lives worldwide with confirmed cases in Senegal and Nigeria in the West African sub-region.

Mr. Manu is expected to give an update on the systems and measures put in place to deal with cases if need be.

Majority Leader, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu who announced the scheduled appearance of the Minister in Parliament said: “Mr. Speaker, on Wednesday 4th March 2020, the Minister of Health will come to the House to update the country about the state of preparedness of the country as far as the development [coronavirus] is concerned. Admittedly, it cannot be said that the country has obtained 100 percent preparedness. But certainly, we are on high alert to track and trace any case that may occur in the country.”