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Dr Ebenezer Oduro-Mensah, Superintendent of the Ga-East Municipal Hospital, has reiterated the need for people to report early for medical treatment when they experience COVID-19 symptoms.

“This is because the earlier such symptoms are reported, the better the chances of those infected to get cured,” Dr Oduro-Mensah told the Ghana News Agency after receiving assorted Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) from the GaDangme Community Action Response Team (GACART) in Accra.

He said COVID-19, though currently a pandemic, could be easily managed and cured with the right approach and attitude.

He described as unfortunate the tendency of some people to try all sorts of self-medication when they had COVID-19 symptoms, until they realised they were very sick.

"They then end up in the hospital anyway, but by then they are typically critically ill and have to bear a lot more discomfort than would have been the case if they had reported earlier," he said.

Doctor Oduro-Mensah said: "The Ga-East Municipal Hospital has cured and discharged 450 COVID-19 patients out of 500 cases. What we have experienced so far tells you that COVID-19 is absolutely curable with the right medical attention."

He commended GACART for the donation and urged other organisations, groups and individuals to assist health workers through such gestures.

Doctor Oduro-Mensah said health personnel now more than ever needed PPE in the fight against COVID-19, mainly because most of the equipment they needed must be replaced from time to time.

Madam Rebecca Bondzie, Team Member of GACART and Chairperson of the GaDangme Professionals Association, who presented the items, said the NGO aims to assist with the provision of PPE to health workers mainly within the Greater Accra Region.

She said with Accra being a key epicenter of the pandemic, such assistance was crucial to the fight against the disease.

Madam Bondzie urged the public to continue practicing the safety measures such as wearing of face masks in public, washing one's hands thoroughly before touching the face, and maintaining a good distance from other people at all times among other things.

She called on well-meaning individuals and organisations, especially the media, to continue educating people on the pandemic as that would promote preventive behaviour and, in effect, reduce infections.