Coronavirus: Seven doctors dead so far – GMA

The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has said seven doctors have so far died of COVID-19 since it emerged in the country.

Five of the doctors died last year while two passed this year, President of the Association Dr. Frank Ankobea told Morning Starr Monday.

“The number of doctors who are getting infected is increasing. We have lost 7 of them ( 2 this year and 5 last year),” he told host Francis Abban Monday.

“We are monitoring things and if there’s the need to recommend extra restrictions to the President, trust the GMA to do that. We should embrace what the President has said as Ghanaians. We should take individual responsibility for ourselves and follow the basic rules and I’m sure we’ll be fine to go”.

It comes after President Akufo-Addo announced a ban on weddings and funerals as part of the government’s effort to combat the spread of the virus.

Meanwhile, the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) has disclosed that five nurses and midwives have died since the outbreak of Coronavirus in Ghana last year.

According to the Association, over 800 nurses have also been hit with the virus some of whom have recovered and returned to work.

“I can confirm that we have lost 2 midwives and 3 nurses. As of August last year, 840 of our people got infected but they have recovered and returned to work. It’s becoming overwhelming because before we used to detect the virus early but with the new variant, people are reporting very sick and you can’t send them home,” he said.

So far, 416 people have died from the deadly disease according to the President with the current active cases shooting up to 5, 358.

Currently, Ghana has 170 and 44 persons in severe and critical conditions respectively.

The President also urges churches and mosques to strictly implement covid-19 protocols adding that government will take delivery of first covid-19 vaccines by March 2020.