Government of Ghana deploys over 200 personnel to monitor COVID-19 situation in SHSs

The Government of Ghana (GoG) has deployed some 200 personnel, including individuals from the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the Ghana Health Services (GHS) to monitor the COVID-19 situation in various Senior High Schools across the country.

The deployment of the special monitoring team follows reports indicating that six students of the Accra Girls Senior High School have tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

The Service in a joint statement copied to SHSTRENDZ.COM said it has deployed personnel throughout the country to ensure that schools do not turn into hotspots for the spread of the killer disease.

It added in the statement that all schools had been assigned to nearby health facilities to ensure immediate response to any suspected or confirmed COVID-19 case.

“A team of 200 personnel, drawn from the Ghana Education Service, Ghana Health Service, the Regional and District Directorates of Education are actively spread out all over the country and are monitoring the situation closely. Further, all health institutions to which senior high schools have been mapped with health facilities to ensure that any suspected cases are promptly dealt with in accordance with the laid down protocols,” the statement said.

The Service however in the release condemned the decision of some parents who earlier today stormed the Accra Girls Senior High School to pick their wards from the school.

The Service explained that such a decision leaves greater risk for community spread of the pandemic that has killed 122 as of July 6, 2020.

“Whilst it is understandable that parents would be anxious about their children’s welfare and may besiege the schools to remove them, it is strongly advised that this is not helpful particularly because if a student is infected, there is a risk of further contagion in the community if he or she is taken out of school,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, the Service says they have provided all the necessary logistics including veronica buckets, alcohol-based hand sanitizers among others to the various schools across the country in the fight against the pandemic.

According to the Service, Head of schools and staff have been trained on how to deal with COVID-19 cases should they record or suspect any.