GMA worried over Ghana’s lack of preparation to fight Ebola

• Posted on July 28, 2014
• by Kwame Vaughan
• Comment

The Ghana Medical Association has expressed grave concern about Ghana’s preparedness to fight the Ebola virus if it breaks out in Ghana.

The deadly virus has killed over 600 people in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia and recently in Nigeria.

The Deputy General Secretary of the Ghana Medical Association, Dr Justice Yankson, told Joy News Ghana doesn’t seem prepared for a possible Ebola outbreak.

While agreeing there is some level of national education about the spread of the virus in parts of the sub-region, Dr Yankson said “our major concern has to do with the preparedness of the facilities themselves.”

He said the hospitals, clinics across the regions and districts are not clearly prepared for any “possible outbreak” adding “looking at the way the virus is spreading across Africa,  the country must be able to make adequate preparation so that if in an event  there is an outbreak, the country we will be able to fight it.”

The health facilities are not the only areas of concern.

Most of the country’s entry points are also not equipped to prevent the spread of the Ebola virus.

Director of Public Affairs at the Ghana Immigration Service, Francis Palmdetsi says only four out of the 42 points of entry are ready to handle potential Ebola cases.

The parliamentary sub-committee on health says it has received assurances from the Ghana health service about measures to deal with a possible outbreak.

The Chairman of the committee, Joseph Yiele Chireh, however says the committee is yet to independently verify from health facilities across the country.