Gov’t Efforts Not Enough To Contain Ebola Outbreak-GMA

0

wpid-gma.jpgThe Ghana Medical Association (GMA) says the country is not ready for an outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease despite government’s effort to fight any outbreak in Ghana.

For this reason, it says preaching prevention is the best way out to keep the virus out of Ghana’s borders because the country?s preparedness cannot contain an outbreak contrary to assurances by government about its readiness to fight Ebola.

The disease, with a potential of wiping away communities, has recorded 2240 cases and 1229 deaths representing 54 percent across the West African sub-region with Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria worse affected.

Speakers at the sensitisation workshop on Ebola virus, organised by the Graphic Communication Group Limited (GCGL), called on the media to help in the education of the public and to put a stop to causing fear and panic.

Dr Titus Beyuo, Greater Accra General Secretary of the GMA, said Ghana?s preparedness in terms of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) was inadequate and, therefore, called for more public education.

?Until every sufferer, health worker, relatives, taxi drivers, communities and other stakeholders are well informed about the disease, Ghana cannot be said to be prepared,? he said.

According to him the GMA had held public lectures and a public campaign to be aired on Ghana Television for the next five weeks.

Dr Kofi Bonney, a Research Fellow of the Nogouchi Memorial Institute (NMI), said only specimen that met the case definition were sent to the institute for testing and that out of 60 suspected cases none had come out positive.

He said caution was taken when picking samples and added that the containers that samples were put in could affect the validity of the results.

The validity of a test takes about six to eight hours, he said, and that the NMI did not only test for Ebola but other hemorrhagic fevers.

He called on the media to be circumspect and stop the rumour mongering, fear and panic.

Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Victor Asare Bampoe, said the Ebola disease was a security and economic issue and that government would ensure that logistics and equipment needed for preparedness or an outbreak would be made available, especially for frontline workers.

He said government had put in place committees on logistics, co-ordination and technical to ensure that the right strategies and surveillance systems were are put in place to contain and control the disease.

He said all person who came into contact with Patrick Sawyer, who collapsed and died of the disease at the Nigeria Airport but transited in Ghana have been monitored and none had shown symptoms of the disease.

Funding for the disease, he said, was not a major problem because government had met the diplomatic corp and sensitised them on the need to support Ghana with GHc 35 million.

Mr Ken Ashibgey, Managing Director of GCGL, urged the media to hold leadership accountable and and ensure that they put into practice what they preached.

?Consistent follow ups and timelines are the efficient tools to keep leadership on their toes. Let bite till the end,? he said.

GNA

Send your news stories to [email protected] Follow News Ghana on Google News

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here