Ghana has confirmed cases of infections with COVID-19. The Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists (GAMLS) wish to commend the government of Ghana and the managers of the health sector for their swift actions to ensure the country is ready for this global pandemic.
GAMLS wishes to assure the general public that Ghana has the human resources with the requisite expertise and competence to collect, process and test samples from patients and clients suspected to have COVID-19 (SARS-COV2)). We wish to reiterate the commitment of GAMLS to providing accurate and timely professional services to the citizens of Ghana.
As a professional body, it is part of our mandate to provide sound technical advice to MoH and GHS to support the national emergency operations center in its day-to-day duties as well as how portions of funds allocated by the government and other development partners to support the fight against COVID-19 could be better used to equip clinical and public health laboratories across Ghana in a cost-effective manner.
There is a need to strengthen our health systems to be able to detect, trace and contain the infections recorded in Ghana. The need to scale up the capacity of at least the five teaching hospital laboratories and the public health laboratories (PHLs) to be able to swiftly respond to the testing needs of the country (Northern, Middle, and Southern belt) and to address other future outbreaks is imperative.
It is instructive to note that at the moment, the National Public Health Reference Laboratory (NPHRL) and Central Laboratory Services at Korle Bu in Accra and Zonal Public Health Laboratory in Tamale are known to have the capacity to perform specialized testing but are yet to receive any support to beef up their diagnostic capacities. At the least, these laboratories have PCR machines and certified biosafety cabinets which could be suitable to test in this pandemic situation. With minimal structural modifications, logistics and refresher training, these PHLs could provide expanded testing to the entire country in order to reduce result turnaround time (TAT).
It is our fear that, as suspected cases may increase, the current two testing research institutions may be overwhelmed. This could lead to longer TAT resulting in delays in the release of results needed to inform case management. The current system of transporting samples from remote areas to the two testing institutions could compromise the results. Our checks at the various facilities reveal a substantial gap in logistics needed to protect staff, collect samples, package and transport them to the designated testing institutions. This is unacceptable as it puts our members at a highly compromised situation.
We are worried and concerned that in this emergency mode, MOH and GHS could forget about its own apex, regional and zonal laboratories that provide routine and specialized testing on a day-to-day basis for the people of Ghana and thus miss this opportunity to empower them to even do more.
Whilst we commend MOH and GHS for training a limited number of laboratory professionals and other health workers in country on the appropriate use of PPE and sample management, we wish to call for a more aggressive and coordinated approach considering the central role of laboratory professionals play in the collection and management and testing of samples.
Ghana has since 2013 with support from its health partners developed the National Health Laboratory Policies and Laboratory Strategic Policies but these still remain on the shelves of the Ministry of Health waiting to be launched and implemented. These policies for which the Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists (GAMLS) have in the last 6 years embarked on 3 nationwide strikes if had been implemented would have ensured at least 20 laboratories across the country are able to test and confirm such suspected cases.
GAMLS calls on all members across the country to adhere STRICTLY to WHO-approved procedures for collecting samples from suspected persons and testing by wearing necessary basic personal protective equipment (PPE).
GAMLS wishes to encourage Ghanaians and the general public not to panic but to follow the basic infection prevention and control measures that have been published severally by MOH and GHS. Hand hygiene (washing hands frequently with soap and water and using alcohol rubs or hand sanitizers) and observing good cough etiquette remain the most efficient ways of preventing the transmission of droplet and airborne infections. As much as possible avoid crowded areas and be willing to go for a medical check-up should any of the signs or symptoms of respiratory infection be noticed.
Whilst we commend the support provided to the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) and Kumasi Center for Collaborative Research into Tropical medicine (KCCR), there are existing systems and platforms that must be strengthened as well to enable the medical laboratories to perform their duties in the fight of the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
Once again, GAMLS wish to assure Ghanaians and other nationals within the country of our commitment and that of our members in providing the best of our professional care in these difficult times.
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