Front line Health workers trained on Ebola

A day’s training workshop on the early detection and prevention of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) has been held for more than 200 frontline health workers and volunteers in the Central Region with a call on them to be vigilant and action ready.

The workshop, organized by the Central Regional Health Directorate in collaboration with the China Centre for Disease Control on Ebola Preparedness and Response, was to update the knowledge and skills of community health workers and volunteers to facilitate early detection of the disease in order to minimize the risk of infection on clients, health workers and communities .

Mr Aquinas Tawiah Quansah, the Central Regional Minister, commended the Chinese government for supporting Ghana and other West African countries and that the quick response of the Chinese government has gone a long way to reduce the spread of the disease.

He said he was happy the Central Region was selected for the training programmes since the region he was at a high risk due to its location and migration of its citizens particularly fishermen to the countries that are affected by the virus.

Mr Quansah said in view of this it was imperative for all especially the frontline health workers and volunteers to brace up and intensify education on the disease in the rural areas.

He said since the outbreak of the disease the Region had put in place measures including sensitization, epidemic training sessions as well as checks and monitoring programmes.

Mr Quansah called on people living along the coast line to be vigilant and report promptly any suspected case of the disease to the nearest hospital or health facility.

The minister commended chiefs along the beaches in the region for their efforts in helping to quarantine people who had returned from countries that are affected by the disease.

Dr Kwaku Karikari, the Deputy Director of Public Health Services, also commended the Chinese government for the support, stressing that the disease should be viewed as an economic and global threat which called for a collaborative effort to curb it.

The Chinese Ambassador in Ghana, Ms Sun Baohong, said her government was committed to preventing the further spread of the EVD in West Africa and that more than one million dollars had been committed to medical suppliers and training for the prevention and control of Ebola in Ghana.

She said about 300 health personnel and volunteers in the Western and Central regions had been trained on the prevention and control of EVD and urged all to be vigilant about possible setbacks in the spread of the disease.

Mr Lucio Dery the Central Regional Health Administrator, attributed the success story to the surveillance and disease control systems that had stood the test of time and had lived up to expectation by preventing the disease from entering the country.