The Ghana Coalition of NGOs in Health (GCNH) has called on the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to establish a National Control Programme on COVID-19.

It said this was to ensure access and equity in the testing and support services.

This was contained in a press release signed by Dr. Gabriel Gbiel Benarku, its National President and copied to the Ghana News Agency.

The release said parts of the country did not still have the basic logistics to properly manage situations of community spread of COVID-19 and recommended standard precautionary measures to be rolled out and enforced.

It suggested that the GHS should establish strategic guidelines with GCNH and other health-related NGOs.

The release said GHS must develop an anti-stigma and anti-discrimination strategies, which should be amplified by involving CSOs at the district and regional levels.

It further called on the GHS to form a national task force to monitor COVID-19 interventions to ensure equity distribution of resources and accountability.

The release called on the Ministry of Agriculture to roll out a programme to educate farmers on the coronavirus pandemic.

It also asked political parties to develop standard precaution guidelines to protect themselves and the general public from being infected by the virus.
It advised Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to amend their by-laws and enforce them adding that they should be resourced well for the fight and control of Covid-19.

GCNH is an umbrella organisation of CSos, NGOs, FBOs and CBOs with the mandate for health related Research, Advocacy, Public Health Education, Watchdog role and Policy influencing.