Ebola could affect Dormaa Municipality - Official

Mr Daniel Kwaku Owusu Amponsah, Dormaa Municipal Disease Control Officer, says the area is at high risk of contracting the deadly Ebola Viral Disease.

He said this is because of its proximity to neighbouring Cote D’ Ivoire and the high migration pattern observed along the Ghana-Cote D’Ivoire borders.

Mr Amponsah said this during an address at a meeting organised by the Health Directorate on the epidemic preparedness plan for the Ebola Viral Disease on Monday at Dormaa-Ahenkro in the Brong-Ahafo Region.

“The Municipality is located on the borders of La Cote D’Ivoire with many using unapproved routes for business transactions, therefore, people from far and wide travel to and fro daily,” Mr Amponsah said.

He said the Municipality, which is located eight kilometres from Ghana - Cote D’Ivoire border at Kofibadukrom and Gonokrom, receives a lot of external and internal visitors, adding “it is for this reason that the Region has given its full commitment to the control of the disease”.

Mr Amponsah said the risk, susceptibility and vulnerability levels of the Municipality in contracting the disease is heightened by the “high migration pattern of the people in search of greener pastures as well as cultural activities such as funerals, handshakes and festivals and other social gathering which could promote the rapid spread of the disease”.

He said the Public Health Unit in consultation with the Assembly has therefore constituted an emergency preparedness committee which is chaired by Mr Gordon Asubonteng, Municipal Chief Executive with Madam Florence Iddrisah, and the Municipal Director of Health Services as a Secretary.

He said there is inadequate capacity for the identification and management of cases of the pandemic, low sensitisation of the public about its symptoms and low surveillance of it by health officials.

Mr Amponsah said logistics for its management are in place, citing that personal protective equipment like gloves, face masks, gowns, goggles, aprons and boots have been received from the Regional Health Directorate for specimen collection and case management.

He gave the assurance that all categories of health workers have been sensitised and well trained to respond to emergency situations and contingency plans outlined to effectively coordinate, monitor and manage the disease in the event of an outbreak in the Municipality.

The Disease Control Officer said the Kofibadukrom – Gonokrom border was till date without a holding centre for the management of Ebola cases although there is a place allocated for that purpose.

Mr Amponsah stated that in the event of an outbreak of the disease at the border post an improvised tent or holding centre would be put up for the management of it.