Ghana intensifies Ebola preparedness and response

A two-day national workshop to strengthen the country’s preparedness and response to any unexpected outbreak of the deadly Ebola infection has been held in Kumasi.

This comes amid growing global anxiety over the haemorrhagic viral fever that has hit some countries in the West Africa sub-region and claimed lives in excess of 3,000.

The workshop was organized by the Local Government Service Secretariat and in attendance were health directors, veterinary officers and officials of the national disaster organization (NADMO) from across the country.

Mr Samuel Sarpong, the Ashanti Regional Minister, said the nation could not afford to be overtaken by events.

That is why adequate measures are being put in place to effectively and swiftly deal with any suspected case.

He said, Ashanti, given its central location and being a nerve centre of social and economic activities, with high attraction for people from within and outside the country, was vulnerable to communicable diseases and therefore needed to be on the alert.

He encouraged all stakeholders to play their expected roles well and coordinate their efforts to protect the people.

Mr Sarpong called for sustained public education to sensitize the people on the “very simple and basic things” they should do to keep themselves safe.

Dr Badu Sarkodie, National Coordinator of the Ebola Preventive Response, said Ghana has not seen any case of the Ebola disease, adding that, measures were in place to fight any outbreak.