Thirty-nine FDA Staff Test Positive for COVID-19


Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) had recorded 39 cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) after conducting a mass testing for its staff.

Out of the number, 38 had fully recovered, whilst the remaining one is said to be responding to treatment.

This was contained in the press statement signed by the head of Communications and Public Education, James Lartey and copied to the Ghanaian Times on Monday in Accra.

According to the statement, all 450 workers were tested, including the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Delese Mimi Darko and all top management from its head office at Tema and KIA offices as well as its laboratory.

It said, “all 39 staff were asked to go into self-quarantine and those who were in close proximity to them were also asked to do same and were provided with the necessary logistics to do so.”

The FDA said it had since reduced its staff strength to 25 per cent with the rest of the staff working from home as well as initiating a shift system at its offices.

“All staff are provided with nose masks as well as sanitisers and washing stations are placed at every entrance, in addition to this, compulsory temperature checks and enforcement of the “No Mask No Entry” rule are conducted for every person before they are granted access into our offices,” the FDA said.

The Authority assured the general public it would continue to effectively execute its mandate as a regulatory agency to register and enforce the importation, manufacture, distribution and sale of safe and quality products, and other medical devices, which were needed for the fight against COVID-19.

“The FDA still holds fast to our motto which says, “your well-being, our priority” , and as such has from the very inception of this pandemic created a in-house COVID-19 committee tasked with the responsibility of ensuring the welfare of FDA staff as well as its clients nationwide, with respect to measures put in place for the prevention and protection against COVID-19.”

Ghanaian Times