The Ghana Health Service has disclosed that about 99 percent of hospitals in the Ashanti Region risk closing down following hikes in covid-19 cases.

This comes as the Omicron virus sweeps across the region, skyrocketing the daily infections which according to GHS has overwhelmed health facilities in the Region.

Speaking to this reporter in an exclusive interview, the Ashanti Regional Deputy Health Director Dr. Micheal Rockson Agyei said most of the health workers in these hospitals have been hit hard impeding healthcare delivery in the Region.

“We have received distress calls that most of our hospitals are in critical situations as a result of how fast the Omicron variant of covid-19 has spread throughout the region.

“Some hospitals in the Region even moved to close down their facilities after staff were infected with the virus but it took the timely intervention of GHS to step in and help the facilities restructure things and continue their services,” he stated.

Dr Rockson Agyei attributed the ballooning cases to the blatant disregard of the covid-19 protocols during the yuletide.

He disclosed that five out of every ten persons in the Region have been infected with the virus.

The most difficult aspect, according to him, is that most of these persons refused to visit the hospital or self-isolate while others resort to all manner of self-medication.

“We are now preparing our reports, but I suspect that the actual number of infections might be underreported as many are not reporting to health facilities after getting the infection,” he stated.