The Bureau of Public Safety has admonished businesses in the country to procure COVID-19 Rapid Antigen test kits for their workers.
According to the Bureau, this would provide real-time information on the statuses of staff and help stop the spread of the virus in work environments.
Speaking to Citi Business News, Executive Director of the Bureau of Public Safety, Nana Yaw, Akwada says the Rapid Antigen test kits are a prudent options business should consider.
“We believe that businesses buying into these antigen test kits will help them to maximise their human resource. It is going to improve worker return to work and worker motivation at the workplace. Let’s face it, Akwesi is not at work because the company suspects he has COVID-19 and because of that, he has been away in the last couple of days. I am still working. I can be demotivated but where Akwesi’s status can be established within 15 minutes and all other actions taken, I believe that, it works well for the business and in these times of difficulty businesses will be better off buying into these antigen test kits rather than going to pay several hundreds of cedis at private facilities or having to wait for several weeks just for a result.”
Currently, it takes some considerable number of days to get ones’ COVID-19 test results, a situation some health professionals have described as worrying.
President Akufo-Addo in his 23rd COVID-19 update to the nation indicated that Ghanaians will not be charged for taking the test.
“COVID-19 tests are free for all Ghanaians at public health institutions. If a Ghanaian citizen returns a positive result, the cost of care at isolation and treatment centres will be borne by the Government.”
This announcement is likely to increase the pressure on public health facilities who carry out the COVID-19 test and further lengthen the period it takes to get one’s results.
