58,000 more health workers were recruited for the COVID-19 fight – Akufo-Addo

58,000 more health workers were recruited for the COVID-19 fight - Akufo-Addo

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has revealed that his government recruited an additional 58,000 healthcare providers during the peak of the pandemic.

Speaking at the National Honours and Awards ceremony at the Accra International Conference Center, the president stated that, in order to ensure citizens’ safety, the government made some difficult but necessary decisions, including healthcare recruitment.

“Our priority then was the health and safety of Ghanaians and that is why we put in place a comprehensive strategy in place to deal with the virus which incidences were unknown, and we were restrained from shaking hands and hugging each other, and we had to endure stress caused by the poking of our noses and throats anytime we underwent a PCR swap.”

Delivering the keynote address before presenting the awards, the president added that “the government also found the money to recruit, on a permanent basis, 58,041 more health professionals. COVID-19 inspired our domestic manufacturing capabilities and deepened our self-reliance. The pharmaceutical industry under my instigation responded positively to the need for the domestic production of sanitisers, disinfectants, and liquid soaps.”

The president also stated that his administration purchased GH81 million in personal protective equipment from local manufacturers to ensure Ghanaians’ safety.

“Furthermore, Ghana was able to procure some GH¢81 million worth of personal protective equipment such as face masks, garments, medical scrubs, and hospital gowns from domestic garment and textile manufacturing companies for health workers and students who wrote their final exams during the period.”

“Our relative success in winning the fight against COVID-19 is a testament to the tireless work of our researchers, scientists, advisors, public health managers, frontline healthcare workers, hospital staff, contact tracers, security services, public and private sector agencies, faith-based organizations, and so many others,” the president added.

Among those honoured by the state was Minister of Health Kwaku Agyemang-Manu, who was awarded the Order of the Volta-Companion.