The threat of Ebola may not be new to Ghana, but the question remains: Are we ready to take no chances? With outbreaks reported in some West African countries, concerns remain high on how well the country is managing the threats.
At the heart of Ghana’s response strategy are specialized infectious disease and isolation centres established to contain highly infectious diseases before they spread into communities.
Facilities such as the Ghana Infectious Disease Centre along with designated treatment and isolation units in regional hospitals are expected to play a critical role in whether a suspected Ebola case emerged.
Checks at the centre that played a critical role during the COVID 19 outbreak is said to be in good state and ready to receive and isolate patients, support laboratory testing, protect healthcare workers and coordinate emergency response measures.
Private facilities are not left out. Government says it’s in talks with some private facilities to partake in the fight.
Another critical area in focus is the country’s port of entry. At the Accra International Airport which receives an average of 500 paseengers on a daily basis, port health workers of the Ghana Health Service were seen attending to travelers with available safety tools.
Although a few gaps were identified, health officials inidicated the country’s readiness in the event of a case.
Prof. Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service said ‘‘We know all the nine thermal thermometers are faulty, but it will be worked on within the week. In the meantime, we have the hand thermometers that are widely accepted to be used.
We are ready to fight the disease. There is institutional memory. Thankfully the 42 Ghanaians trained and deployed during the 2014 and 2016 West Africa ebola era are all alive and are at the forefront of the fight.so there is no cause for worry.’’ He said
As of May 24, the WHO reports 900 suspected Ebola cases with over 100 deaths, with Ghana’s risk level classified as low.
By Sarah Apenkroh
