Ghana’s most versatile radio station, Happy 98.9FM, has engaged Ghana’s Ambassador to Italy, H.E Mrs. Eudora Quartey Koranteng in an educative interaction on Italy’s COVID-19 experience and how Ghanaians in Italy are coping.
The conversation dubbed ‘COVID-19 in Europe: Sharing the Italy Experience’ was moderated by Happy FM’s Raymond Nyamador and GTV’s Abdul Hayi Moomen and aired on e.TV Ghana, Happy FM and GBC News.
H.E Mrs. Eudora Quartey Koranteng disclosed that COVID-19 cases in Italy skyrocketed at the initial stages, not because of negligence and oversight by the Italian government but because of the proper medical system which increases life expectancy in the country.
“Italy is a family-oriented country and has put in place strong Medicare structures which ensure that there are higher levels of life expectancy. And this has led to a high number of the population being the old. Italy became a victim of its own best practices”, she explained.
She noted that with a population which has a larger number being the aged with some underlying health conditions and quite frail immune systems, it is no surprise their death tolls and infection rates were high.
She added that the spike in numbers necessitated the nationwide lockdown for more than two months. She, however, revealed that the lockdown which was put in place to curb the spread of the virus in Italy posed economic problems.
“When we started experiencing the pandemic, we saw it as a health problem to keep the citizens safe from further infection. But once the lockdown came into effect that created economic problems for the society”, she added.
Speaking on events in Ghana, she noted that the President and his COVID-19 team did a great job in handling the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Ghana has put in place a very competent COVID-19 team and I will not assume to advise them. One can see that the competencies within Ghana’s COVID-19 committee are providing all with the necessary responses needed to protect Ghanaians against the virus”, she said.
She furthered, however, that it was necessary for countries to cooperate and collaborate in the fight against COVID-19 by engaging in knowledge-sharing and research.
In her closing remarks, she advised that Ghanaians should be concerned about the spread of the virus because “the virus is real”. She, however, stated that we must adapt to the new normal and coexist with the virus.
Programmes Manager for Happy FM, Emmanuel Akrumah, on his part was grateful to the Ambassador for giving insights into the situation in Italy as well as the welfare of Ghanaians living in Italy.
“My deepest appreciation goes to Ghana’s Ambassador to Italy, H.E Mrs. Eudora Quartey Koranteng. She has enlightened us on the welfare of Ghanaians living in Italy and I must say I am impressed at the measures put in place by the Italian Authority and Ghana’s embassy in Italy. The COVID-19 has presented countries with the opportunity to work together to fight a common enemy”.
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