A visit to the Ridge Hospital on Friday revealed that health workers as well as patients have been given hand sanitizers and face masks as part of preventive measures in the wake of the confirmation of the novel coronavirus.

Rainbow Radio’s Daniel Asuku reporting from the facility on Frontline said the facility has put in place measures to prevent any spread of the deadly virus.

He told host Kwabena Agyapong right from the security gate to the various departments at the hospital were in all in face masks.

He said the hospital which has been earmarked as a referral centre for the disease was fully prepared.

The Ridge Hospital and the Tema General Hospital has been designated as facilities to manage any possible outbreak.

In a statement released by the Ministry recently, it said that this forms part of the country’s plan to prevent and control any case that may be detected in the country and ultimately protect the Ghanaian population.

The Ministry explained that it has tightened the country’s emergency preparedness and response plan due to the rising number of infections from the novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in other countries of the world.
The statement said the Ministry has directed Regional Directors to designate treatment centres in their respective regions to deal with cases if they arise.

“Ridge Hospital and Tema General Hospital have been designated as initial case management centres. Regional Directors have been instructed to designate holding/treatment centres in their respective regions. We are preparing to designate more centres in the highly populated areas of Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi, and Tamale.”

“Case Management Teams Activated- teams to manage cases at the designated national centres are receiving orientation on the management of cases,” the statement added.