Reports that Ghanaians can walk into any public COVID-19 testing laboratory for free testing are not true, according to the Ghana Health Service (GHS) and the Ministry of Information.
Social media in Ghana is buzzing with conversations about a notice from the Ministry of Health allowing Ghanaians to walk into any public COVID-19 testing laboratory for free testing.
Here’s a thread of the public labs across the nation that are providing free #COVID19 testing (with location for convenience).
NB: If you’re a contact of a known case, suspect you may have been exposed, or are experiencing symptoms you MUST quarantine until you get your results
— Nana Kofi Quakyi, MPH (@nkquakyi) January 28, 2021
The letter which is being widely circulated to back the claim is signed by the Chief Director of the Health Ministry, Kwabena Boadu Oku-Afari and comes with the headline: ” Free COVID-19 testing for all walk-in requests such as ill health, contact tracing and exposure.”
What did the letter say?
According to the January 27 communique addressed to public COVID-19 testing laboratories in Ghana, “all other walk-in requests such as ill health, contact tracing and exposure must be done free of charge using public health resources.”
The details of the letter have since been widely reported by the mainstream media, including credible online platforms (here, here)
No free mass testing
The Ghana Health Service (GHS), has clarified that the COVID-19 testing is only free for “referrals” by health facilities and not walk-in services contrary to the earlier statement.
At a press briefing on January 28, the GHS Director-General Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye said: “it’s not a mass testing, you will not just walk to the place and expected to be tested without a referral letter.”
Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah further amplified the amended directive and said: “referrals to public health labs are free, not walk-in to a public lab.”
Referrals
According to the GHS, members of the public can seek for examination at the nearest health facility and the issuance of referrals “if necessary.”
What does this mean?
This means public health laboratories will charge for all walk-in COVID-19 testing services without referrals from health facilities.
COVID-19 testing fees
Fees vary per institution and on average, testing fees range from 450-550 Ghana cedis.
By: Sani Abdul-Rahman
