Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital’s reference lab to be upgraded to test for COVID 19

It is likely that the Reference Laboratory at the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital will be upgraded to run clinical test for the novel coronavirus; termed COVID 19, Deputy Director of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Atsu Dodor has hinted.

In an exclusive interview on the Jolly Breakfast Show this morning, Dr. Dodor disclosed that considerations are being taken at the national level to upgrade the facility so it could render services, as it is with the existing two facilities [Nuguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) and Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research].

Unfortunately, he is not sure as to when this will be actualized.

“In the future, what I know is that, or has been discussed is that our Reference Lab may be upgraded. That is a policy level decision. But it has been discussed that it can be upgraded to do those test in the future” he told host of the show, Samuel Kojo Brace.

Dr. Dodor however added that, the hospital has a Genexpert; which is used to diagnose Tuberculosis, and can be used to run COVID 19 test, if the need arises.

Commenting on the rising statistics on the COVID 19 pandemic, Dr. Dodor advised Ghanaians to observe good hygiene and possibly stay at their homes to minimize risk of contracting and or spreading the disease.

By Abraham Mensah

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ABOUT: Nana Kwesi Coomson

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An Entrepreneur, Corporate Social Responsibility, Corporate Communications Executive and Philanthropist. Editor-in-Chief of www.233times.com. A Senior Journalist with Ghanaian Chronicle Newspaper. An alumnus of Adisadel College where he read General Arts. His first degree is in Bachelor of Arts - Political Science (major) and History (minor) from the University of Ghana. He holds MSc in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Energy with Public Relations (PR) from the Robert Gordon University in the United Kingdom. He is a 2018 Mandela Washington Fellow who studied at Clark Atlanta University in USA on the Business and Entrepreneurship track.

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