Lockdown is necessary but consider those living in Chorkor, Nima and others

Former Member of Parliament for Akwatia constituency, Baba Jamal, has praised the government for its latest directive in the wake of the coronavirus spread.

According to him, pressure on President Nana Addo to declare a lockdown is necessary and right in direction but he must first consider those living in the deprived areas.

Speaking on Happy FM’s Epa Hoa Daben with Doctar Cann, the former government appointee during the NDC’s administration said “All those calling on Nana Addo to place the nation under a lockdown are right. A Lockdown is necessary in these times but how do you want those living in deprived areas to survive. Who is going to feed those living chorkor and Nima? These are the things we must consider.”

“Some stay at one place and they have their toilets and bathhouse at another location so if they are calling lockdown and Nana Addo is considering that he must consider all those living in the deprived areas [Nima, Chorkor, James Town, Teshie Nunguah, Manmobi, and others,” he added.

He also asserts that “What is needed now is more sensitization and education for those living in those areas. Lockdown means everyone must be in their various home.

Baba Jamal again said though the President’s directive has come in time to help contain the pandemic, there should be the provision of enough kits by the government to address the needs of Health Professionals and Ghanaians.

However, the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has called on President Nana Addo to immediately lock down the nation to prevent any further spread of the deadly coronavirus.

The call by the GMA comes after one more person died of coronavirus in Ghana bringing the total number of recorded deaths from the virus to three.

In a statement, the GMA said being fully conscious of the threat posed by this pandemic and the disturbing trend of community spread and the obvious inadequate of capacity (logistic and human resource) of the nation’s health system to deal with increased numbers of COVID-19 infection especially in the severe to critical cases, the President must declare a Nationwide Lockdown with the exception of essential services with immediate effect.

The Ghana Health Service said as, on the morning of 26 March 2020, a total of 54 Covid-19 cases including three deaths have been confirmed from the regular surveillance systems.

This brings the total number of cases to 132.