Dr. Justice Yankson, Vice President for the Ghana Medical Association (GMA), has cautioned the general public against self-medicating for COVID-19 during the Xmas season.
This statement by Dr. Justice Yankson comes after the association called for a scale-up in the testing of Covid-19 and contact tracing as the country’s Covid-19 cases rise.
The association has, in a statement jointly signed by President Dr Frank Serebour and General Secretary Dr Titus Beyuo, warned government to expedite actions to enhance contact tracing else risk weakening further the already fragile health system.
GMA added that the escalation in cases is likely driven by the Omicron variant of the SARS-COV-2 virus which is highly proving to be more transmissible than the hitherto dreaded Delta variant which dominated our third wave of Covid-19.
The Association says it is worried about the development of mass gatherings at events and celebrations to mark the Christmas and New Year festivities, according to the GMA will double the growing infection among the population.
Speaking to the host of Atinka FM’s AM Drive Kaakyire Ofori Ayim, Dr. Justice Yankson, Vice President for the GMA called for an urgent scale-up of Covid-19 Testing and Contact Tracing for all positive cases as well as strict isolation and management of all infected persons to help break the chain of transmission.
According to Dr. Justice Yankson, 50 percent of samples that are sent to the labs turn out positive.
“The test positivity rate is high in that out of all samples that are sent to the lab, 50 percent of them turn out positive. The clinical session is also not different, people who come with Covid-19 symptoms turn out positive. We are asking people to desist from self-medicating especially this Xmas and rather seek help at the hospital and also test for covid-19 as and when necessary,” Dr. Justice Yankson told Kaakyire Ofori Ayim.