Gov’t commends Ghanaian medical volunteers

The government has commended the team of medical volunteers who were dispatched from the country to assist during the peak of the outbreak of the Ebola viral disease in Liberia and Sierra Leone.

The 42 man-team, made up of doctors and nurses and other paramedical personnel, completed a four months medical spell in the two Ebola affected countries and are back safely in Ghana.

Vice President Kwesi Amissah-Arthur in an interaction with the medical volunteers at the Flagstaff House, praised the team members for helping to raise the flag of Ghana high.

He said the team by their action have shown that the African is capable of intervening in an in African problem, solving it, and not wait for the international Non-governmental organisations.

He urged the team to share their experiences with their colleagues back home and the things that the people must do to prevent them from contracting the disease.

Vice President Amissah-Arthur said in June last years when the disease was at its peak, Ghana offered its territory as the staging post for the UN medical emergency team as well as personnel from Europe, America and Asia for providing support to the Ebola affected countries.

He said people have praised Ghana for allowing her country to be used as the hub to assist the various international emergency teams.

He said very few people knew that 42 health specialist had left for Liberia and Sierra Leone at a considerable risk to their own lives to help stop the Ebola from reaching Ghana.

Vice President Amissah-Arthur also commended the West African Health Organisation (WAHO) for helping to prepare the medical volunteers for the task.

The Vice President said he had been informed that the medical procedures that the Ghanaian team adopted helped to increase the survival rate of the Ebola patients.

Mr Augustine Sagoe, Leader of the delegation also commended the volunteers for their dedication to work.

He said since the epidemic started, about 840 medical personnel from the affected countries were infected by the Ebola disease and 490 of them had died.

He was glad the 42 Ghanaian medical volunteers who went to Liberia and Sierra Leone were back home safely.