The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has received medical equipment from Nestle Ghana Limited and Ghana Red Cross Society in support of the fight against COVID-19.

The items valued at GHs 323,697 included one Anesthetic Machine, one slit lamp, 10 infrared thermometers, 10 digital BP testing apparatuses, one set of mobile ECG 6 channel, one set of mobile ECG 12 channel, 10 disposable gowns, and a patience monitor.

Mr Kwame Gyimah-Akwafo, President of the Ghana Red Cross Society, presenting the items on behalf of the two companies, said Nestle Ghana had partnered his outfit in diverse ways to complement the efforts of the Government of Ghana in the fight against the pandemic in the country.

Mr Gyimah-Akwafo said as an auxiliary to government, his outfit had continued to complement the government's efforts in the area of social interventions through distribution of food packs to selected households, social mobilization, risk communication, media sensitization, community engagement, and community announcement during the COVID-19 era across all 16 regions.

Dr Anthony Ofosu, Deputy Director-General, Ghana Health Service, receiving the items, thanked the institutions for their support, saying the items would go a long way to help in the fight against the pandemic especially at the Tema General Hospital where the items would be used.

Dr Ofosu called for continued community engagement and sensitization on COVID-19 self-risk awareness, stressing that Ghanaians must get involved in the fight against the pandemic by strictly following the protocols of social distancing, hand washing, use of hand sanitizers, and wearing of nose masks in public, among others.

He said it was evident that such good practices in the early part of the outbreak of the virus helped Ghana to drastically reduce the number of infections, an indication that it could be done.

He reminded Ghanaians especially those who ignored the protocols particularly the mask wearing, to reconsider their actions, saying "wearing of the mask is not
comfortable but you wear because you care".

Dr Ofosu indicated that the public must always remember that they might not die from the virus but those they would pass it on to after contracting it might lose their lives, therefore the need to wear the mask as a sign of caring for each other.