The Dormaa Presbyterian Hospital (DPH) has introduced telehealth service, a new telephone initiative to ensure early detection, response and management of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in the Dormaa Central Municipality of the Bono Region.

The area falls under a high risk zone for COVID-19 as cargo vans transport goods on a daily basis to places where there are reported cases of the virus.

Additionally the Municipality shares border with Cote d'Ivoire at the Gonokrom border post while the DHP is the main referral point for medical emergencies and many people from places of reported cases of COVID-19 also patronise the Tuesday market at Dormaa-Ahenkro.

Speaking at a meeting with reporters at Dormaa-Ahenkro, Reverend Dr Isaac Appiah, the General Manager of DPH, said some people with families at Dormaa-Ahenkro and neighbouring Cote d'Ivoire still manage to outwit border officials by using unapproved routes to sneak in and out to visit relatives in spite of border closures.

He said that cross-border interactions posed a high risk for COVID-19 infections, adding that this has prompted and necessitated the evolution of new strategies, methods and effective measures to contain and efficiently manage the disease in the event of an outbreak.

Rev. Dr. Appiah said reports indicate that the general hospital attendance was on the decline, while patronage of public pharmacy services was increasing because people were afraid to visit hospitals due to the outbreak of COVID-19.

Hence "we came up with a hotline 0509653970 to encourage sick people to reach us", the DPH General Manager said.

"Whenever there is a call, our COVID-19 team will move to locate those with COVID-19 symptoms, offer health advice and depending on the severity and peculiarity of the situation, the team would then bring the person to receive care at our facility," he said.

Rev. Dr. Appiah expressed concern that some pharmacies are going to the extent of giving injections and prescribing drugs to those who patronise their services.

He said the introduction of telehealth service would help to stem the practice and situations where people fell gullible to unsafe, undiagnosed drug prescriptions from pharmacy attendants.

Rev. Dr. Appiah said if an individual had a minor case, the COVID-19 team would offer advice on phone but those in critical conditions that require emergency care were booked for emergency services.

He said the telehealth service package would also ensure the COVID-19 team linked up with the various churches and mosques in the Municipality to effectively regulate the use of gun thermometer.

"We will check and trace individuals with symptoms and quickly isolate those with suspected cases for their subsequent transfer to the hospital for further care".