Ebola outbreak: Ghana only ready on paper, says GMA

The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) says preparation of the country over an outbreak of Ebola has not been up to scratch.

It contends that much is being done in the boardroom but close to nothing has been done on the grounds.

“As we speak, officially we haven’t been able to complete our three national isolation centers nor have any quarantine site properly in Ghana,” Dr Justice Yankson, the Deputy General Secretary of GMA, said on Wednesday, August 20.

He was speaking to TV3 on preparations put in by government so far in the preparedness against the disease, which has claimed over 1,200 lives since its outbreak in West Africa.

Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone have been the hardest hit countries.

An inter-ministerial team has been set up by Ghana's government to ensure adequate preparedness of the country against a possible outbreak.

Over 10,000 personnel protective equipment (PPE) have been distributed while isolation centers are being built across the country.

But Dr Yankson contends action has not been satisfactory.

“Nobody can say that we have the core team who are properly trained to deal with Ebola assuming we have a case today,” he said.

“In terms of readiness in the boardroom, we are. We are also ready with the plan of action but the implementation [is the problem].”