President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, says local industries are to scale up the production of medical goods and equipment for the containment of COVID-19.
Addressing the nation on steps government was taking to contain the coronavirus, he said the government was actively engaging local industries in the production of face masks, Head covers, surgical scrubs and gowns to compliment imports which source was dwindling.
He acknowledged the positive response from the Ghanaian private sector, saying 3.6 million face masks would be produced domestically, with an output of 150,000 per day.
According to him, Government was placing high priority on the procurement of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) for the protection of frontline health workers.
He said this was crucial to ensure the maximum protection of the lives of these persons who were risking their lives every day to battle the Coronavirus (COVID-19).
President Akufo Addo, said so far, 350,000 masks, 558,000 examination gloves, 1,000 reusable goggles, 20,000 cover-alls, seven thousand N-95 respirators, five hundred waterproof gumboots, two thousand reusable face shields, two thousand gallons and 10,000 pieces of 100 milligramme of hand sanitizers respectively, and five hundred shoe covers, had been sent to Regional Health Directorates.
He said the items, were for onward distribution to District Health Directorates for use by health workers in all districts and the Minister of Health was ensuring that they reached the health workers.
President Akufo-Addo, further announced that some incentives which included a GHS 350,000 insurance packages for each health personnel and allied professional at the forefront of the fight had been put in place, with a daily allowance of GHS 150 being paid to contact tracers.
He stated that the Government had decided to waive all taxes on the emoluments of all health workers for the next three months, starting from April to June, and that all frontline health workers would receive an additional allowance of 50 per cent of their basic salaries per month from (March to June) .
The President explained that the March allowance would be paid alongside that of April.
Again, the Ministry of Transport, he said, was making available for free,
‘Aayalolo’ buses to convey health workers in Accra, Tema, Kumasi and Kasoa to and from work, along specific routes, for the entire duration of the restrictions.
By Christabel Addo, GNA
