The Covid-19 caseload in Ghana’s Ashanti region could triple as contact tracers have declared a strike.
The volunteers, who have formed the Coalition of Contact Tracers, said their action is in protest against the government’s decision to slash a GH¢150.00 daily stipend to GH¢70.00.
In a letter addressed to President Nana Akufo-Addo, on Thursday, June 11, 2020, the group wrote: “For your information, Mr President, contact tracers in the Ashanti Region have not been working since 2nd of June, 2020 till date. The country currently has 10,201 total cases with 1,653 newly confirmed between the period we laid down our tools.”
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It continued: “In effect, it means some 16,530 contacts are not being followed which has the tendency of increasing our cases by some 33,060. With all these disturbing possible situations, it’s very surprising that no one is saying anything or responding to us.”
The Ashanti Region has so far recorded over 1,700 Covid-19 cases and is next to the country’s capital Accra, which has recorded over 6,000 cases. Currently, Ghana’s Covid-19 caseload stands at 10, 856 with 48 deaths.