Isolation centres in communities are to protect you - GHS advises

The Ghana Health Service is asking Ghanaians to desist from opposing Covid-19 isolation centres in the various communities.

The service said these isolation centres are to help protect community members from the virus.

Some communities in the Ashanti, Central and Greater Accra regions have rejected the idea of an isolation centre in their communities.

According to them, these centres will put them at high risk of being infected by the virus.   

In an interview with Accra based radio station, Joy FM Chairman of the National Risk Communication and Social Mobilisation Committee for Covid-19 and also the director for health promotion at the GHS Dr Dacosta Aboagye said traditional leaders must complement government's effort in educating community members on the pandemic

"Some Ghanaians are resisting isolation centres in their various communities, now let me take this opportunity to call on our celebrities, traditional leaders to actually help us to educate the communities to understand that having an isolation centre in the various communities actually protects the individuals, families and the community as a whole so that immediately we identify a positive case we isolate the person and give the person the treatment."

READ ALSO : Covid-19 : Almost every suburb in Obuasi has recorded a case - MCE 

On Tuesday the District Security Council, DISEC in Obuasi had to deploy heavily armed police officers to help relocate Covid-19 patients into an isolation centre in the area.

The facility has been placed under lock and key by residents who said they will not allow it to be used as an isolation centre.

Reports indicate that the residents blocked the road leading to the isolation centre. Obuasi as at May 10 has recorded 261 Covid-19 cases.

Chairperson of the District Security Committee (DISEC), Faustina Amissah who is also the Chief Executive for Obuasi East said the isolation centre is being used because the patients can not continuously be kept at the various homes.

“We’ve given them enough education for about three days now. The health directorate has gone to speak with them including the chief, Assembly and Unit Committee members."

“Despite that, they are still resisting so the next option is force. We have to send them [patients] there because we can’t continue keeping them in their various homes as most of them share basic facilities with other people,” she said.