Ghana 'clashes' with AfCFTA boss over 'fake' Covid test results
By Elvis Adjetey
Wamkele Mene
Elvis Adjetey
Elvis Adjetey is an experienced African journalist who has worked with top media brands in Ghana where he is based.
The Ghana Health Service (GHS) is in tango with the Secretary General of the African Continental Free Trade Area Wamkele Mene over his covid-19 status.
On April 27, the AfCFTA Secretariat revealed that its Secretary General was given a 'false' covid-19 results after taking the PCR test at the Kotoka International Airport.
Subsequently, Mr. Mene went into quarantine and took two tests from private laboratories on the advice of his medical team.
According to the secretariat, both tests came out negative, raising concerns about the efficacy of the KIA Covid-19 tests.
As a result, the AfCFTA Secretariat announced that Mr. Mene will continue all his engagements scheduled for this week and next week since he has already received the Johnson & Johnson (J & J) vaccine, which should provide him with an additional measure of protection.
But the GHS said the claim about the reported issuance of the fake covid- 19 test results to Mr. Mene is inaccurate.
According to the GHS, the test was part of measures to reduce the importation of the virus into the country following the reopening of the airport on September 1, 2020 by President Akufo-Addo.
"To reduce further importation of Covid-19 into the country, several measures were instituted at the airport. These included the presentation of a negative PCR test for Covid-19, which is not more than 72 hours old prior to departure to Ghana by all passengers, and a mandatory antigen test on arrival at the airport."
The GHS says it does not recognize the results of the independent tests carried out on the Mr. Mene due to the fact that it wasn't sanctioned by the service.
As a result, as far as the GHS is concerned, the Secretariat General "is to remain in isolation until the completion of the statutory seven-day isolation period, and is discharged, as per the Covid-19 protocols issued by the President of the Republic."
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