Hohoe Municipal Hospital lauds UHAS efforts in COVID-19 fight
Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye, Deputy Minister of Health, has visited two UHAS campuses as part of a tour to familiarise himself with the operations of COVID-19 centres in the Volta Region. The University runs one centre on its main campus at Sokode-Lokoe in Ho, and the UHAS School of Public Health (SPH) is actively involved in the operation of the centre located at the Hohoe Municipal Hospital. SPH earlier donated one of its facilities to the Hospital for use as a holding centre for COVID-19 patients.
During the deputy minister’s visit to Hohoe, Dr. Pius Mensah, Medical Superintendent of Hohoe Municipal Hospital and acting Municipal Health Director lauded the efforts of the UHAS School of Public Health for its immense contribution in the COVID-19 fight in the Municipality. He said the hospital, just like many others across the nation, had come under unprecedented pressure and would have succumbed, but for effective collaboration with UHAS. The fight became somewhat easier due to insights provided by Professor Paul Amuna, Dean of SPH, and other UHAS experts. “The University has not only provided technical support when we needed it the most but also human resources when the need arose,” he told the deputy minister and other stakeholders at a meeting on June 29. “We even had the services of their clinical psychologist to counsel the COVID-19 patients,” he added.
Professor Paul Amuna, Dean of the UHAS School of Public Health, called on the Ministry of Health and other stakeholders to help complete and upgrade the new COVID-19 treatment centre, which has opened to receive overflow patients from other districts in the region. The plan is for SPH to use it as a treatment and research centre for infectious diseases when the COVID-19 crisis is over.
Dr. Bernard Okoe Boye said the hospital has come to be known as an inspiring one because of its enormous effort in ensuring that the spread of the disease was reduced and managed. He noted, “Recovered cases are the strongest signs of hope” if the virus is to be defeated; he also implored all to desist from stigmatisation, as it does not augur well for recovery.
Dr. Timothy Letsa, Volta Regional Director, Ghana Health Service, said the Hohoe hospital has become a “dependable” centre, especially for COVID-19, and called on all to “put their shoulders to the wheel” if humanity is to be helped.
Earlier in the day, Dr. Boye visited the COVID-19 Testing Centre at the UHAS Main Campus.
