Paying over GHc800 for COVID-19 test is a good bargain - Okoe Boye
- All travellers to Ghana by air are to pay $150, equivalent to GH¢866, as the fee for testing for COVID-19
- Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Bernard Okoe Boye, has defended the amount being charged to carry out COVID-19 tests on passengers who disembark at the airport
- According to him, it is a good bargain from the government
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Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Bernard Okoe Boye, has defended the amount being charged to carry out COVID-19 tests on passengers who disembark at the airport.
According to Dr Okoe Boye, the government’s decision to charge each traveller $150 for tests is a good bargain as compared to the earlier costs incurred by the government.
Extensive considerations with test costs across the globe, coupled with the testing regime adopted, led to the generation of the figure, which he claimed was very competitive.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, August 31, he made several claims as to why the fee was a good deal.
Source: Original
READ ALSO: Travellers to Ghana to pay over GHC800 as COVID-19 testing fee
He stated that extensive considerations with test costs across the globe coupled with the testing regime adopted led to the generation of the figure which he claimed was very competitive.
Another reason the deputy health minister gave was the fact that keeping passengers at the airport for over six hours for the other tests would lead to congestion which is a fertile breeding ground for the coronavirus.
Okoe Boye added that when the government initially started to quarantine travellers, each PCR test conducted cost an average of $70 to $100.
He, however, argued that close to $200 dollars was used to conduct tests twice on one person, to make sure that the virus is not brought to Ghanaians.
READ ALSO: Akufo-Addo confirms opening of Kotoka International Airport
President Akufo-Addo, in his 16th address to the nation on COVID-19 measures being taken, announced the opening of the Kotoka International Airport to international flights.
He made it clear that all passengers who would be disembarking at the KIA aside possessing a negative COVID-19 test result, need to undertake another test with that individual bearing his or her own cost.
In view of this, during a tour of the airport and a subsequent press conference at the same venue, President Akufo-Addo announced that passengers would be required to pay an amount of $150 for testing.
READ ALSO: COVID-19: 8 Key highlights from President Akufo-Addo's 16th speech to the nation
Ghana re-opens Kotoka International Airport to passengers |#Yencomgh
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Source: YEN.com.gh
