Health professionals working at the Begoro Government Hospital in the Eastern Region where one case of the deadly coronavirus was recorded are being stigmatised by the people in the area.
While commercial vehicles have been refusing to pick them, traders on the other hand are unwilling to sell to them or take money from them on the suspicion that they may have also been infected.
A 65-year-old mango seller, who was admitted to the male ward of the facility in the Fanteakwa North District on April 5, was confirmed to have contracted the coronavirus almost a week after although he had no travel history.
The ward has since been disinfected.
Personnel who came in contact with the patient have also gone into quarantine and their samples taken for testing.
But the Deputy Director of Nursing Services at the Hospital, Millicent Annor, has expressed worry over stigmatisation from the people.
“The patient is stable now, but the stigma attached to the hospital and the staff is not good at all. Now taxis are refusing to pick us because they think we will transmit the virus to them,” she said when a National Democratic Congress aspiring Member of Parliament (MP), Haruna Appau Wiredu, donated some items to the facility.
Sounding emotional, she added” our staff go out to buy porridge in the morning and the porridge seller refuse to take the money from them. This is so bad!”
Ms Annor requested that the GPRTU in the area make special arrangements to transport health workers to the facility.
“If the GPRTU will make arrangements to ask all health workers to converge at a point so they pick us to work, that would be very appreciated,” she said.
Some residents who spoke to 3news.com said they fear contracting the disease should they get in contact with the health workers.
Already, 3news.com has gathered the emergency health team in the area is battling with residents on getting an isolation centre.
Meanwhile, the aspiring MP has donated hand washing items to other health facilities, market women and transport unions in the district to help them prevent contracting the coronavirus.
Credit: 3news