President of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA), Ms Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo, has cautioned membersagainst the wearing of healthcare uniforms in public, to reduce the spread of infections.

According to her, science had proven that healthcare givers contract pathogens onto their uniforms while on duty.

MsOfori-Ampofo, in an interview with the Ghanaian Times, in Accra yesterday, said wearing healthcare uniforms while outside the work environment, especially at public places, posed health threat to the populace.

She said “especially now that we are not in normal times, nurses and midwives really have to be very careful we do not expose our families and others to infections we can possibly pick from the health facilities we work in.”

MsOfori-Ampofosaid “changing into muftis after work is advisable, but the case is quite different for those who have their private cars, especially when they just drive home straight from work.”

She appealed to nurses and midwives to promote hygiene and observe COVID-19 protocol.

MsOfori-Ampofo explained that the wearing of healthcare uniforms in public did not mean healthcare givers were a threat to community health, adding that it was just a precautionary measure that needed to be adhered to.

She said “At the clinical setting, pathogens could be easily ‘picked’ that is why it is very important to us, as a union to ensure that members take this cautiousmeasure seriously. Also as professionals, we should consider obvious methods of mitigating the spread of infections.

“Our uniforms will continue to remain potential vectors for the spreading of all kinds of pathogens, so let’s continue to consider the safety of the public in all our dealings,”MsOfori-Ampofo said.