Coronavirus forces Tamale Central Hospital to lay off 143 casual workers

Staff who have suffered this fate include cleaners, records attendants and ward assistants.

Dr Mahamadu Mbiniwaya, Medical Superintendent of the hospital is reported to have told Daily Graphic that the decision to lay off the aforementioned was informed by the outfit’s inability to generate enough revenue to pay their salaries.

He mentioned that internally generated funds have reduced drastically since the outbreak of coronavirus because there has been a decrease in outpatients department (OPD) attendants at the hospital.

According to him, the numbers have reduced because many surmise chances of contracting the virus at the hospital are high.

The casualties, he noted, will be recalled when there is a change in narrative.

Ghana has so far recorded 636 cases of coronavirus.

The breakdown of the 636 positive cases are as follows: seventeen (17) have been treated, reverted to negative on repeat tests and discharged, 605 cases have been categorised as mild disease and are on treatment, two (2) are categorized as moderate to severe cases, none in critical state currently and eight (8) have died.

Of the 636 confirmed COVID-19 cases, 268 were reported from the routine surveillance, 253 from enhanced surveillance activities and 115 from travellers under mandatory quarantine in both Accra and Tamale.

Regions that have reported cases are Greater Accra (509), Ashanti (53), Central (1), Eastern (41), Western (1), Volta (9), Northern (10), North East (1), Upper East (4), and Upper West (7).