Seven Ghanaian doctors have died of COVID-19, says medical association

The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) says seven doctors have died of COVID-19 since the outbreak of the virus in the country. 

Frank Ankobea, president of the association, who disclosed this in an interview with Starr FM on Monday, said five of the doctors died in 2020.

He said the association will recommend “extra restrictions” to President Nana Akufo-Addo, if the rate of infection continues to increase.

“The number of doctors who are getting infected is increasing. We have lost seven of them, two this year and five last year,” Ankobea said.

“We are monitoring things and if there’s the need to recommend extra restrictions to the president, trust the GMA to do that. We should embrace what the president has said as Ghanaians. We should take individual responsibility for ourselves and follow the basic rules and I’m sure we’ll be fine to go.”

Meanwhile, the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) says five of its members have died of the virus, while over 800 nurses have been infected.

The association added that some of the infected nurses have recovered and returned to work.

According to Worldometer, a website providing updates on the COVID-19 pandemic, as of February 1, Ghana had confirmed 67,010 cases, out of which 61,236 recoveries and 461 deaths have been recorded.