News:
May 28, 2020
A member of the Health Committee of Ghana’s Parliament, Dr. Mark Kurt Nawaane has said stigmatisation, discrimination and fear of recovered COVID-19 patients would only erode the positive gains made by the country against the disease.
According to him the development would derail the country’s forward move and cooperation it had received from Ghanaians specifically COVID-19 patients.
Dr. Nawaane revealed that monitoring media reports over a month point to the fact that recovered patients are not welcomed by their own families, communities, friends and work place and added that the rejection become so intensive that their children, wives and others are affected.
In a statement on the floor of the House, he noted that in a video clip, a child was referred to as
“Coroboy” and was asked to return to his “corohouse” where his “forefather” has returned home.
Lack of awareness can be attributed to negative stereotype, on recovery and a patient test negative for the second time the antibodies however remains protecting the recovered patients and is said to have partial immunity against coronavirus.
Patients who recover from coronavirus do not pose threat to anyone anymore because they have tested negative twice and have antibodies to protect them for some time.
“In the event that the pandemic takes worse turn and overwhelms our frontline medical staffs those who have recovered are the choice of people to potentially assist as volunteers in our hospitals and health facilities”
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com