The Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, has revealed that Ghana has 30 laboratories for COVID-19 tests.

According to him, the sharp increase in COVID-19 testing laboratories is in line with the government's agenda to contain, combat and prevent the spread of infectious disease.

Speaking at the 7th CelebrateLab West Africa Conference in Accra, Dr Kuma-Aboagye said: "Ghana now has 30 labs for doing COVID-19 testing with diagnostics capacities”.

He said the “Ministry of Health and Ghana Health Service remain committed to the COVID-19 fight” and that “efforts are being made to minimise cross-border transmission."

Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation (WHO) Representative to Ghana, Dr Francis Chisaka Kasolo, has charged African laboratory scientists to adhere to higher standards in the fight against the pandemic.

Contributing to the debate, Health Minister Kwaku Agyeman-Manu said the government of Ghana is committed to training an adequate workforce and highly qualified professionals to improve health delivery.

According to him, the government is rolling out plans to vaccinate over 20 million Ghanaians.

He noted that an "effort is being made to replicate infectious disease centres in northern Ghana".