The Education Minister, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, was admitted at the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) after testing positive for COVID-19 on his second test.

After testing positive for the virus, mass testing was conducted at the Ministry where most of his colleagues tested positive for the novel Coronavirus disease.

Later on July 8, the Education Ministry announced that Dr Opoku-Prempeh had been discharged from the UGMC after a rapid antibody test for COVID-19 came out positive.

Sharing his hospitalization experience with Happy 98.9 FM’s Samuel Eshun, host of the Happy Morning Show, the minister asserted that on your sickbed, you begin to have a new outlook of life.

The realization the minister had at the moment was that humans are more important than money in the world we live in.

He said, “When you are on your sickbed, you start thinking about your life and everything else. I was there for 2 weeks and the size of my room was like that of this studio. I got the time to think and realized that most things are not important.”

On his authority, what is important in life is the people who are there for you in your time of need and not the money you have. “When you’re in there, you need someone to take care of you, make you laugh and cheer you up and money cannot do that for you.”

The minister who still is not sure of how he contracted the virus thanked God for his health and appreciated the frontline health professionals for the good work done and also advised Ghanaians to adhere to all safety protocols as the virus is real.

He noted that he was in a critical phase of his life when he heard of Sir John’s passing. “No matter how strong you are as a man, you will cry when you get to your room. You will cry because people were dying from the virus and their situation was not as dire as mine.”

The minister cautioned unconcerned Ghanaians and alerted them to the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic had not left the country. “The virus is deadly and if you protect yourself, you’re ensuring the safety of your family, your community and the nation.”