Frontline health workers will be clearly defined – Akufo-Addo

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has assured the healthcare fraternity that authorities will soon demystify “frontline health workers”  that has triggered intense anxiety and confusion among it circles.

The President gave the assurance when he met stakeholders at the Jubilee House today April,08, 2020, as part of his government’s broad consultations with all major players in the health sector of the nation amidst the country’s fight against the novel Coronavirus, Covid-19.

Confusion over Frontline Workers

President of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association, Madam Pepetual Ofori-Ampofo, says nurses and midwives are demotivated and feel unappreciated by government following the brouhaha over the President’s statement on allowances for frontline health care workers.

She contended that every nurse, midwife, physician assistant and nurse anesthetist everywhere is exposed to coronvirus and hence they should all enjoy government’s incentive package and allowance. All other representatives and leaders of the other organized group also suggested same.

President Akufo-Addo in a response to the concerns of the healthcare workers noted that it is obvious that the issue of who a frontline worker ought to be must be clearly defined in order to streamline beneficiaries of the incentive packages for health workers that he announced on April,05, 2020.

He assured the health workers that the issue will be resolved.

Your Safety is Gov’t’s Top Priority

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, assured all health workers in the country that his administration is keen on the safety of all healthcare practitioners in the country.

“Some of the things you have heard me say, the special arrangements that are being made for health workers, all of it is within the objective of ensuring that you feel reasonably protected, reasonably secured to be able to go out and give off your best,” President Akufo-Addo said.

“It would be excellent if all the demands or wishes that you have could all be met. It won’t be, but we will do our best to meet the essential ones and that is what we are trying to do,” President Akufo-Addo added.

Participation

Amongst the various associations under the broad spectrum of health workers of Ghana who participated in the meeting were the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association, Pharmaceuticals Society of Ghana, Allied Health Professionals, Ghana Association of Certified Registered Anaesthetics and the Ghana Physician Assistants Association. Their leaders where given the opportunity to address the gathering to articulate their interests and concerns to the President.

PPEs

The availability of Personal Protective Equipments (PPEs) was the other major concern to all the health workers who were present at the meeting. They urged government to make good its promise to ensure the supply of PPEs to all health workers. On that score, President Akufo-Addo acknowledged the shortfall while indicating that the local production of PPEs will bridge the shortages that exist in certain places in the country.