Ghana ready to respond to possible Ebola outbreak – Akandoh

Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has assured Ghanaians that the country has put in place measures to prevent and respond to a possible Ebola outbreak, urging the public to remain calm.

He said the preparedness measures include thermal scanners at airports, electronic health declaration forms, laboratory testing capacity and isolation facilities to detect and manage suspected cases.

Speaking during a visit to Kotoka International Airport on Wednesday, October 28, Mr Akandoh said the interventions were intended to strengthen health screening at the country’s entry points and ensure a swift response should a case be detected.

“We are praying we don’t record any case, but if we do, we are ready to do the needful. So we should not be afraid,” he said.

The Minister explained that thermal scanners had been installed at the airport, while electronic health declaration forms had been reviewed to improve the screening of arriving passengers and facilitate contact tracing if necessary.

He said the revised forms would be required of passengers arriving in Ghana through the country’s airports to help health authorities assess potential risks and identify contacts in the event of a suspected or confirmed infection.

Mr Akandoh further disclosed that Ghana was strengthening its laboratory capacity to support the prompt testing and diagnosis of suspected Ebola cases.

He cited the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR) and the national reference laboratory as facilities that could support the country’s diagnostic efforts.

The Minister also pointed to the availability of an infectious disease treatment centre, which would be used to isolate and manage patients should an outbreak occur.

He said the combination of enhanced airport screening, improved diagnostic capacity and isolation arrangements formed part of Ghana’s efforts to ensure that any suspected case could be identified and managed promptly.

While expressing hope that the country would not record an Ebola case, Mr Akandoh urged the public not to panic, assuring them that the relevant measures were in place to protect public health.