Open Letter to President Akuffo-Addo
Dear Mr. President,
May I share these few thoughts as you prepare for your update number 22 on measures taken against the covid-19 pandemic. Like many Ghanaians, I am worried about the spike in cases of the corona virus in our country.
As worrying as these increasing cases are, we have to do everything within our means to ensure it does not take more lives, push our health sector to the brink of collapse and ravage our economy more than it already has.
But the measures we take must not, for the love of God and country, include locking down, as has been suggested by some experts.
Majority of our countrymen and women cannot afford to live under a lockdown again. Majority of our compatriots will not survive a lockdown. It will increase crime and destroy our society than the virus would.
Thousands of infectious disease epidemiologists and public health scientists, from both the left and right, and around the world, through the Great Barrington Declaration, have expressed grave concerns about the damaging physical and mental health impacts of the prevailing COVID-19 policies.
Mr. President, in that declaration, these scientists have underscored lockdown policies as “producing devastating effects” on working-class and youth populations “on short and long-term public health.”
Some category of Ghanaians can afford to survive a lockdown, but many of our people up and down the country cannot.
Sadly, we have not put in place adequate measures where food banks can be set up and help sent to those who need it the most in a dignified manner.
Given the serious nature of the pandemic and its consequences on our country, we need to focus on prevention by increasing public education and enforcing laws on the wearing of nose masks and other health safety protocols.
Finally, there is little or no public discourse on vaccination. The silence is deafening. As a matter of public health policy, is Ghana for or against mass vaccination. If we are against immunization, what are the alternatives. And if we are for it, what are our targets, and what shape and form will a roll out take and timelines.
We are in this together, Mr. President. The virus does not know colour, class or creed. I implore my fellow Ghanaians to head the calls to protect themselves, their loved ones and other fellow Ghanaians.
Yours sincerely,
Ras Mubarak.
NTHC Estate,
Accra
