Ghana’s Deputy Minister for Information, Honorable Pius Hadzide, has shared details on the process of gathering samples to be tested for the novel Coronavirus.
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Speaking in a phone interview on the Happy Morning Show, the Information Minister was questioned by host, Samuel Eshun on why the number of recorded cases was 854 on the Ghana Health Service (GHS) website, but another graph was pointing to 1042 cases. He explained by detailing the whole process of the data gathering and information dissemination.
Beginning with the contact tracing. He revealed that when the contact tracers go out to collect the samples, they take them straight to the testing centers through the surveillance division where they are tested for presence of the Coronavirus.
He furthered, “When the testing centers are done, they give all the results to the surveillance division of the GHS, who then put together the results acquired from the various centers and validate them again”.
According to him, the GHS, after validating the results they have, go back to trace the individual samples that tested positive to the people, identifying each person by the label on their sample.
The surveillance division of the GHS then shares the information through dissemination platforms of the Ministry of Information at scheduled press briefings, or they go straight to update the website if there is no press briefing being held.
However, the Minister commented that he has not seen the said graph which showed the figure different from what the GHS had put out, thus, he would need to take a look at it before making any further comments or conclusions.
By: Maureen Dedei Quaye
