Health Ministry endangering the Lives of Final Year Students of Health Training College

There is tension in the country as COVID-19 has taken over the air waves with 6 cases already confirmed.

Considering the purported contacts these six confirmed individuals have made, it is very obvious that the success of contact tracing will only be something less than 20% due to our poor systems in Ghana here.

Now the President of the Republic has taken a decision to close down all educational institutions from basic to tertiary level.
All Tertiary Institutions in Ghana, both public and private have closed down due to the same Presidential address on this deadly COVID-19.

As parent of students get worried and want their wards home with them, the Ministry Of Health decides to adhere to a portion of the President’s State address and now endanger the lives of final year students of all Health Training Institutions for the purposes of these students being candidates for an upcoming examination.

THE CASE OF COLLEGE OF HEALTH; KINTAMPO

1. No final year student is a candidate preparing to write any form of examination except the end of semester examination which is supposed to be written by all students and not only final years.

2. We are expected to attend lectures without flouting the laid down social distance principle during this period in order to prevent the spread of this virus. It is therefore expected that, students sit 2 meters apart to achieve this goal. Now with the current lecture halls and number of students within a class of only Direct PA 400 (over 230 students), how realistic will the application of this be?

3. MoH has asked all final year students to desist from social gatherings, workshops, conferences, etc. How different is lectures from such gathering if I may ask?

4. The school has refused to provide the basic necessities needed by students (eg: sanitizers, soap and running water at vantage points) to protect students whiles on campus but are advising students to take precautionary measures whiles they’ve been asked to stay on campus by the school.

I wish to state categorically that, final year students of College of Health; Kintampo are not candidates preparing for any form of examinations except the end of semester examination which all levels equally write at the end of every semester.

We can’t endanger our precious lives in the midst of this pandemic.

If in any case anyone should get infected with the virus which we don’t pray so, the school’s management would be held accountable for the life of such person.

Again; WE ARE NOT FINAL YEAR CANDIDATES PREPARING FOR ANY FORM OF EXAMINATION. Release us to join our families in this difficult times of fear and panic.

Thank you.

A Concerned Final Year Student of CoHK.