Ex-President John Dramani Mahama has sought to question the logic in President Nana Akufo-Addo's lifting of the partial lockdown in the Greater Accra, Greater Kumasi, Kasoa and its environs.
President Akufo-Addo, in his 7th address to the nation on the COVID-19 pandemic, told Ghanaians that upon the indepth knowledge that his administration and Health Professionals have acquired about the behaviour and mutations of the virus as well as adequate data on the epidemic, it was prudent to lift the lockdown but however cautioned Ghanaians to adhere to all safety protocols to guard against the spread of the COVID-19.
The President explained that "so far it has been established that the virus was imported into our midst from foreign shores, and is being spread through person to person contact. The majority of persons infected in Ghana have mild to no symptoms at all, whilst a very small number have required hospital treatment, out of which nine (9) persons, with underlying ailments, have died".
" . . we are introducing rapid results testing to augment our surveillance and enhanced contact tracing efforts, so that we can quickly isolate and treat confirmed cases. From the sixty-eight thousand, five hundred and ninety-one (68,591) samples tested, we have been able to understand better the dynamism of the virus, map out its geographic footprint, and establish current and potential hotspots. We have also been able to isolate and educate asymptomatic carriers, and, thereby, help minimise the spread of the virus...lifting these restrictions does not mean we are letting our guard down. All other measures are still firmly in place," the President expounded.
But according to Ex-President John Mahama, President Akufo-Addo seems to have jumped the gun in adopting a strategy called ''herd immunity'' to fight the pandemic.
Herd immunity is the idea that if the coronavirus keeps spreading, more people will be infected and eventually somehow the infected persons will become immune leading to the end of the pandemic as the virus finds it difficult to find a susceptible host.
This strategy was suggested by Chief Science Adviser to the UK government, Patrick Vallance who believed the UK needed to “build up some kind of herd immunity so more people are immune to this disease and we reduce the transmission'', and as a result the pandemic will fizzle out on its own.
Addressing the nation via a digital conversation on Thursday, April 23, 2020, Ex-President Mahama opined that the President might be putting many lives at risk by his decision-making.
''One gets the sense that perhaps because of the current low mortality and the cases we have confirmed, the President might be seeking to rely on what is called herd immunity as a strategy to fight COVID-19 but I dare say this is dangerous. We must remember that there are reports of re-infection occuring in some cases elsewhere and also prolonged immunity to the virus has not yet been proven at this stage," he stressed.
He called for better interventions to be made by the Akufo-Addo administration in fighting the pandemic because ''the burden of the coronavirus disease could potentially be very heavy. COVID-19 has overwhelmed the health systems of most advanced countries and can do the same in Ghana. The toll on our healthcare workers could be devastating. You can buy ventilators and other medical items on the market but you cannot go to the market and buy skilled doctors and nurses, and other medical staff".
Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana
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Within four years, just look at your face, like an ninety year old man, OMG, what are you thinking about, politics, you better take good care of your self before its too late, I pity you papapaaa. Is it by force to be a president, just look yourself in a mirror, does your wife look at you?
its simple wisdom,mahama,we will live with corona virus till a virus is found,thats 14 months from now.can you lockdown for that long.you have to device a way to live.the reason behind the lifting.want to come back at all cost.stop the politics and save lives.
Is he (JDM) the one they call communication expert? Tweaaaaaaaaa The man is not convincing one bit
I did not watch the full address but can someone tell me how JDM told Ghanaians he would have handled this pandemic?
All those who just commented seems not to have enlighten education at all. these are very low thinkers who can only insult but cannot really think for the betterment of themselves to talk of someone. JDM has made very intelligent submission and so if you are intelligent and can recall, anytime JDM came out to say or suggest something persident Nana Addo took and implemented them for example; Government obsorbing of 100% water and 50% electricity it was JDM who first called for that and within the next few days we heard the president called for its implementation. Even with the electricity JDM wanted government to absorb THE BILLS 100% because if countries like poor Togo can do that why can't Ghana do same and more than that? gone out those days that NPP used to lair that they have the men in fact the NPP has nothing. But when you have very silly people who only know how to insult elders and cannot think you see such failures in them and I petty the silly peopl who commented so far because non of them spoke sense at all just because of very low education poor you.
All those who just commented seems not to have enlighten education at all. these are very low thinkers who can only insult but cannot really think for the betterment of themselves to talk of someone. JDM has made very intelligent submission and so you are intelligent and can recall anytime JDM came oute to say anything persident Nana Addo took and implemented them for example; government obsorbing of 100% water and 50% electricity. even with the electricity JDM wanted government to take absorb it 100% because if countries like poo Togo can do that why can't Ghana do that? But when you have silly people who only know how to insult elders and cannot think you see failure in them and I petty the silly peopl who commented so far because non of them spoke sense at all just because of very low education poor you.
This man just makes my stomach churn...plennnnty this ...plenty that...he makes me believe that he could not finish his deals before being knocked off his perch...kicked out of the presidency...just a spoilt child...acting like he has all the solutions....I never read in Nana Addo's statement of anything called herd immunity. He never said he wants it to spread so we build immunity...the medical professionals never said that....what is wrong with JDM kwraaaa. With this attitude.... You won't get my vote da!...
Samuel Kwabena l think your level reasoning is very low. For goodness sake John Dramani is presidential candidate of the biggest opposition party and he just being a citizen and a leader. What sort of logic are you applying.
Mahama was taking advantage of the lockdown campaigning to the people, by sending foods and other items to them to again their support. He thought he is smart, but he didn't know the old boy is faster than he is. I personally don't wish Mahama should come to power again, because his regime was worse in this forth republic. Plenty debts, massive corruptions involving himself, bribery scandals and what have you. The reputation of the nation is at stake internationally if he is voted into power for the second time.
Sorry ex president, skilled doctors and nurses can be bought. Bad quote.