UHAS to screen students

Thorough screening of all fresh and continuing students of the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) would form part of the registration processes of students for next academic year, Mr Anthony Asempa, Public Relations Officer of the University said on Wednesday.

He said the students would answer questionnaires and have their temperatures taken and also screened of the Ebola virus.

Mr Asempa was speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at a sensitisation workshop on the Ebola Viral Disease and the preparedness of UHAS to respond to any suspected case.

Mr Asempa said some essential staff, including nurses from the Volta Regional Hospital, and two from each district hospital across the region were being trained to help screen the students.

He said suspected cases would be referred to a standby team at the Regional Hospital for further examination and action.

Mr Asempa said the University’s focus was however on prevention and early detection.

Dr. Frank Nyonator, Acting Dean, School of Public Health, UHAS, told participants at the workshop that the University was ensuring an “Ebola Free” community on all its campuses.

He said technical committees had been commissioned to formulate guidelines for the prevention of Ebola Viral Infection and early detection of suspected cases.

Dr Nyonator said the University was also providing information on Ebola through electronic and ‘hard’ media to keep students abreast with issues about the disease.

He described UHAS as a University without walls, which is integrated with communities, and that, the University would work with the Ghana Health Service and Local Government Authorities to establish “holding” areas at hospitals for treatment of suspected cases.

Dr. Nyonator encouraged district surveillance teams to intensify their activities from house to house with the screening toolkit developed.

The GNA observed that the University had fixed some hand washing basins at vantage points at lecture hall areas, laboratory and hostels for students and staff of the University.