Ebola Prevention: Ghana is on track – Deputy Health Minister

A Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Victor Bampoe, says the fight to prevent the deadly Ebola virus from breaking out in Ghana will continue unabated.

He said stakeholders will continue to work on prevention measures though Ghana is yet to record a case of the disease.

So far, he mentioned, there have been 120 suspected cases, which have all tested negative.

“We will continue to get ready,” he stressed.

Dr Bampoe was speaking at the maiden edition of TV3’s The Platform, which discusses issues of national importance.

Thursday’s forum held at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel in Accra was dedicated to Ebola, which has so far claimed over 5,000 lives in West Africa.

Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone are the worst hit nations since the outbreak of the disease in the sub-region with Nigeria, Mali and Senegal also recording cases.

Dr Bampoe lauded efforts of the Inter-Ministerial Team on Ebola, revealing that it is only in Ghana that a treatment center is ready before a recorded case of the disease.

He explained that in all countries in the subregion where the disease has been recorded, treatment centers had not been available.

“We seem to be on the right track.”

The Country Representative of the World Health Organisation, Dr Magda Robalo, commended the leadership role Ghana is playing in the fight against the disease.

"At multiple levels you see Ghana at the forefront of combating Ebola."

She, however, called for more coordination efforts between Ghana and the donor communities.