Dr Hafiz Bin Salih, the Upper West Regional Minister, has commended health workers and security personnel in the Region for their unflinching commitment to the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said their efforts towards combating the deadly virus had helped to control the spread of the virus in the region and urged them to continue to give off their utmost best in the fight to stop its spread.

Dr Salih gave the commendation at Tumu when he interacted with the Sissala East Municipal Public Health Management Committee on COVID-19.

The visit marks his first visit to the Public Health Management Committees on the COVID-19, which had been constituted in all the 11 districts and municipalities in the region and charged with the responsibility to coordinate activities in fighting the pandemic in the region.

The Regional Minister entreated the security agencies in the municipality to enforce the President's directive on the COVID-19.

He asked the security personnel to prosecute any individual or group of persons who would violate those orders.

He announced that the first COVID-19 case recorded in the region had recovered after testing negative twice for the virus.

He appealed to the communities and families of the COVID-19 victims to accept and integrate them back to the society and their families when they recover.

Dr Salih indicated that government was committed to providing the needed equipment and resources for the health and security personnel to fight the pandemic.

He said the Regional Coordinating Council would also play its part to compliment the efforts of the President in the fight against the virus.

The Regional Minister gave the assurance that he would facilitate the process to secure beds for the COVID-19 isolation center at Tumu which was under construction.

He appealed to the general public to contribute their quota in any form towards the fight against the pandemic.

He said the disease was no respecter of political colours or social status and called for continuous education and sensitization.

“We should not do politics with this issue. All we need is a concerted effort to be able to confront it”.

On the Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM), the Minister said the new strain of the disease had no vaccine but could be treated at the health facilities.

He said the treatment of the CSM in the region was free and encouraged the people to report to the health facility anytime they experienced the symptoms such as fever.

The Regional Minister made a cash donation of GH¢2000.00 to the Municipal Health Management Team to support it in the effort to trace suspected individual of the COVID-19 virus.

Mr Karim Nanyua, the Sissala East Municipal Chief Executive explained that the committee had, among other things, carried out sensitisation activities in the municipality on the COVID-19 protocols.