COVID 19 testing: Hasten the procurement of reagents for the 100 medi-labs- GAMLS tells gov’t
The Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientist have called on government to hasten process in the acquisition and distribution of reagents to enable the 100 medical laboratories in our health facilities undertake test for COVID 19 in the country, as stated by the President in his 7th address on the COVID 19 pandemic.
The group also assessed that policies relating to medical laboratory testing in our health facilities, referral of patient samples, standards and methods to adopt for testing, capacity for testing and many others are lacking, and that requested the MoH to take another look at the National Health Laboratory Policy (NHLP) and representation of Medical Laboratory Professionals at management level to contribute to the tooling of our medical laboratories, the healthcare infrastructure investment and the building of the infectious disease control centres.
Below is a press statement signed and issued by the General Secretary of the GAMLS on the subject.
GAMLS: UPDATE ON COVID-19
The Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists (GAMLS) wishes to update the public and gallant professionals in Medical Laboratory Science as frontline workers in sample collection, packaging and transportation, and testing for the diagnosis of COVID-19. We salute professionals for routinely handling and testing samples from COVID-19 patients with the limited biosafety provisions for patient care.
1. Ghana has recorded 1550 cases of COVID-19, 155 recoveries and 11 deaths.
2. GAMLS applauds the Government of Ghana (GoG) for considering investing in healthcare
infrastructure over the next one year, particularly to beef up our existing medical laboratories, and establish new ones across every region for testing.
3. We also applaud GoG for plans to establish three (3) infectious disease control centres for each of the zones of our country, i.e. Coastal, Middle Belt and Northern, with the overall objective of setting up a Ghana Centre for Disease Control.
4. GAMLS has been calling from the start of the pandemic for testing to be extended across Ghana to enable easy access by all. As much as we wish many facilities had started testing in addition to those we already have, we commend the teams and the University for Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS), Ho for becoming a testing site for COVID-19 in the Volta Region.
5. That the MoH/GHS must hasten the acquisition of reagents (Cartridges) to enable about 100 medical laboratories in our health facilities to test for COVID-19 in Ghana as mentioned by the President in his 7th address on COVID-19 to the Nation.
6. We urge the Ministry of Health (MoH), to continue the dialogue and the spirit of inclusion on matters relating to Medical Laboratory testing as we battle in the COVID-19 global war. It has become clear that policies relating to medical laboratory testing in our health facilities, referral of patient samples, standards and methods to adopt for testing, capacity for testing and many others are lacking. We therefore request the MoH to take another look at the National Health Laboratory Policy (NHLP) and representation of Medical Laboratory Professionals at management level to contribute to the tooling of our medical laboratories, the healthcare infrastructure investment and the building of the infectious disease control centres.
7. That the MoH should not relent in their effort to add to the number of medical laboratory
professionals by obtaining clearance to bring on board the qualified and licensed professionals who are unemployed.
8. That MoH/GHS, and health facility managers should establish and ensure safe working
environment and provide Personal Protective Equipment for health care workers – medical
laboratory personnel.
9. We urge our members who have become patients in this battle to know that they are not alone.
The public is encouraged to respect the directives by the President, MoH/GHS and strictly maintain the good personal hygiene practices.
Laboratory regards,
Michael Amo Omari, FWAPCMLS (Bact)
GAMLS, GENERAL SECRETARY, 27 th April 2020
