A display of PPEs
A survey on 143 health facilities in Ghana says one of the major concerns facing health workers (Staff) was non availability of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE's).
"There were gaps in the availability of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE's) for health workers (staff). These PPE' included usable masks, examination gloves and medical or surgical masks.
"There were shortages of essential clinical tools and supplies in health facilities and COVID-19 treatment centres. There were inadequate medicines, oxygen, ventilators, diagnostics, equipment and trading, the survey showed.
The survey indicated that some hospital facilities had Equipment for the management of COVID-19 pandemic but not all the equipment were functional.
The survey also indicated that there were gaps in training and support for staff.
This means that staff of health facilities needed more psychological and mental support to effectively carry out their roles.
'According to the report, on the average 2.2 per cent of staff of the 143 health facilities were diagnosed with COVID-19".
This came to light at the dissemination of findings of Ghana Frontline Health Service Assessments in 143 health facilities in some selected regions in the country. Data for the survey was collected on June 14 this year to June 29, this year.
The survey was conducted to ascertain: The Current and surge capacities of hospitals for COVID-19 Management in terms of availability of clinical tools and essential supplies.
It also took a look at the health facilities and health workforce capacities to maintain the provision of essential health services through the pandemic.
The survey also delved into community health needs, change in care seeking behaviour, barriers to care and disruptions to community-based care during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The survey was conducted in collaboration with Alliance for Reproductive Health Rights (ARHR), Ghana Health Service (GHS) Government of Canada and World Health Organisation (WHO).
The various regions in the survey are: Northern, Savanah, Upper East Ashanti, Eastern, Oti, Volta, Greater Accra and Western Region
Presenting the report, Dr. Cornelious Debpuur, Deputy Director, Research and Development Division- GHS, noted that there were also gaps in COVID-19 diagnostic testing services, noting that there were a few facilities with diagnostic testing services and there were long turnaround time for off-site testing.
Additionally, he said the report noted that people feared the side effects COVID-19 vaccines, the vaccine effect and some opposed to the vaccines.
The report, he said, also threw more light on facilities with cold chain capacities among those providing vaccines services, percentages of primary care facilities with selected diagnostics, facilities that have select tracer vaccines.
It further captures percentage of facilities that had select tracer medicines.
It also took into account facilities that have implemented measures to create COVID-19 safe environment.
Dr. Debpuur announced that the GHS would periodically (every three months) conduct “these surveys depending on the availability of funds.”
According to him, in the second round of the survey, GHS would be targeting four teaching hospitals and the service would also compare findings of the first and second surveys to ascertain whether there had been an improvement on situations.
Professor Richard Adanu, Rector, Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons, recounted that Ghana has not been hit hard with the pandemic as it had done to other countries.
Professor Adanu said however with the advent of a new variant, it was important that researches were conducted and the necessary interventions put in place.
Madam Vicky Okine, Executive Director of ARHR said the gabs in addressing essential health services should be given the needed attention so that the vulnerable do not suffer.