The Ministry of Health has instructed all public laboratories in the country not to charge patience who walk in sick for COVID-19 test.

Individuals who are sick from the COVID-19 had to pay for their own COVID-19 tests even at public laboratories but the Ministry of Health has through a letter dated January 27, 2021, signed by the Acting Chief Director of the MoH, Kwabena Boadu Oku-Afari and addressed to all COVID-19 testing laboratories, the MoH said all walk in requests such as ill health, contact tracing and exposure "must be done free-of-charge using public health resources."

The only exception to this new directive is travelers who are coming into the country.

"The Ministry of Health has decided that Public Covid-19 testing laboratories providing walk-in services can charge only travelers for testing," it added.

There have been concerns over the cost and access to testing amid a recent surge in COVID-19 cases in Ghana.

BELOW IS THE LETTER: