The Ghana Health Service (GHS) says government has started a process to provide incentives to frontline healthcare workers whose activities would take them close to suspected and confirmed cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19).

Dr Badu Sarkodie, the Director for Public Health at the GHS, said this would retain a competent and motivated health workforce, in the fight against COVID-19 and ensure their wellbeing.

He said this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) following the confirmation of the country’s first two cases of the flu-like virus.

The infected persons who arrived in the country from Norway and Turkey are currently being handled in one of the existing treatment centres.

“Staff need to be provided with insurance and I am aware the health minister has started a process in this regard,” he said.

Dr Sarkodie said in the wake of the confirmation of the virus, the country together with the motivation for the frontline healthcare step-up infrastructure such as treatment centres, isolation rooms and quarantine places for people who are not necessarily sick but have to be quarantined for the incubation period of 14 days and also in case of a surge.

He said with the funding of US$100 million from government there would be more preventive activities ongoing in the regions, one-on-one meetings, engaging the various heads of health information and enhance public health education structures at the community, districts, regions and the national levels.

“So there will be quite a number of promotion and preventive activities and all these require resources and the funding would help in this regard,” he added.

He added that going forward, they would conduct research to know the cause of the virus.

He encouraged Ghanaians not to panic but rather take care of their health and adhere to the precautionary measures outlined.

“Regular hand washing and thorough washing of hands with soap under running water and use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers. Avoid shaking of hands; Keep a distance of at least two meters distance from a person with fever, cough, sneezing and difficulty in breathing;

“If is advisable to be physically active, drink plenty of water, eat healthily, avoid stress and have enough sleep,” he added.