Coronavirus Scare: Ghana’s Health Minister to be Hauled before Parliament  

The Minority Leader in Parliament of Ghana wants the Minister for Health, Kwaku Agyeman Manu, hauled before Parliament to update the House on his Ministry’s preparedness to contain the Coronavirus infestation should it be detected in Ghana.

The Corona virus which has so far claimed over 133 lives from over 6,000 infections mainly in China and other countries is fast becoming a major health concern for Ghana and some African countries due to the close collaboration between Africa and China in the last few years.

Haruna Iddrisu was concerned about the fact that Ghana’s western border neighbor, Ivory Coast, is one of the first countries in Africa to have recorded an infection of the virus.

“Mr. Speaker, it is important to indicate that La Cote D’Ivoire tested one positive case of a student who was returning home. It means that it is close to our corridor and we need to be guided. I can only renew my call that the Minister for Health be hauled before this House to apprise us of the steps that he is taking to contain it with other allied health institutions,” Iddrisu stated.

He has therefore expressed the need for the government to take critical precautionary measures to protect citizens from the disease which is fast spreading globally.

“The Minister for Health and other institutions responsible must take urgent critical steps to protect citizens within and outside the country from possible attack of this virus,” he observed.

The Tamale South MP made the call in a contribution to a statement made on the Floor of Parliament on Wednesday, January 29, 2020 on the outbreak of the deadly Coronavirus in China and its potential implications for Ghana by the MP for Nabdam and Member of the Health Committee, Dr. Mark Kurt Nawaane.

According to the maker of the statement, some of the cases have been recorded in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, U.S.A, France and Australia. And in Africa, La Cote D’Ivoire, Ethiopia have been reported to have confirmed cases.

He therefore appealed to the Ministry of Health to form a multisectoral stakeholder group that will include the Ministry of Agric, Aviation, ports and Harbor, Finance, parliament and any other partner who can contribute to the fight against the outbreak of the disease in the country.

Source: Clement Akoloh || africanewsradio.com