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''COVID-19, let me tell you that it's real. COVID-19 (Coronavirus), it is real'', a survivor warns Ghanaians not to trivialize the pandemic and flout the instructions by health personnel and the government to safeguard themselves.

A father of four named Frederick Drah, who recovered from the novel coronavirus infection, revealed the moments of sorrow and horror following news of having contracted the virus.

Frederick Drah was among eighty-three people who fully recovered from the virus and have been discharged home.

Narrating his ordeal to Ghanaians at a press briefing in Accra on Thursday, April 16, 2020, he noted that after showing symptoms of the virus, he was for the first time in his life whisked away in an ambulance to the Ga East District Hospital for treatment but had to face the pressure of being isolated from his family.

He recounted the disease rendered him very weak that he had to take water at the shortest period of time due to dryness in his throat among other complications.

Mr. Drah, sharing his pathetic story, was however grateful to the Health Professionals who attended to him at the hospital for taking keen interest in helping him recover from the disease. 

He admonished Ghanaians not to think Coronavirus is alien to the country but rather take the disease seriously and comply with all health directives to resolve the epidemic.

"I've never sat in ambulance before but that day I sat in the ambulance and the only thing I could tell my wife is that I just waved her. It was a terrible moment for me in my life that particular day...This ambulance picked me and I was just in the ambulance. Wherever this ambulance was going, I didn't even know. I was just in and this gentleman drove me, and before I realized I entered to Ga East District Hospital. That very faithful day, I know there should be distance between myself and the doctors. Me being the first patient to use that facility at Ga East District Hospital, the doctors [was] scrared of me. The nurses [was] scared of me.

"COVID-19, let me tell you that it's real. COVID-19 (Coronavirus), it is real. I'm telling every Ghanaian that this virus, it is real. So, please and please, try and obey the lockdown, washing of hands, social distance...Let us try and obey. I don't every normal human being can be drinking water within the shortest time like that. Within the shortest time that I take water, my throat is dried so have to be continuous taking water, taking water. COVID-19 is real," he exclaimed.

He further urged the general public to stop stigmatizing persons infected by the virus.