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Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has assured Ghanaians that the country has put measures in place to prevent and respond to a possible Ebola outbreak, urging the public to remain calm.
Speaking during a visit to Kotoka International Airport on Wednesday, October 28, he outlined a range of preparedness measures, including thermal scanners, electronic health declaration forms, laboratory testing and isolation facilities to help identify and manage suspected cases.
Mr Akandoh said thermal scanners had been installed at the airport to screen arriving passengers, while electronic health declaration forms had been reviewed to strengthen surveillance and support contact tracing in the event of an infection.
“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 the electronic declaration forms had undergone further revisions, with plans to make their completion a requirement for passengers arriving in Ghana through the country’s airports.
He said the information collected through the forms would enable health officials to assess travellers more effectively and trace contacts promptly if a suspected or confirmed Ebola case is identified.
Mr Akandoh further disclosed that Ghana was enhancing its laboratory capacity to ensure suspected cases could be tested and diagnosed promptly.
He cited the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR) and the national reference laboratory among the facilities supporting the country’s diagnostic preparedness.
The measures form part of Ghana’s efforts to strengthen disease surveillance, improve early detection and ensure a timely response should Ebola be detected in the country.
The Health Minister reiterated the need for public calm, assuring citizens that the government was taking steps to safeguard public health and manage any potential threat.