Akandoh: Ghana Maintaining Low Ebola Risk Through Vigilance

The Minister of Health, Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has assuaged fears surrounding the Ebola virus, its surveillance and global developments while outlining Ghana’s preparedness.

He explained that the Ministry’s communication seeks to keep citizens informed with clarity while strengthening national vigilance and public understanding of emerging health risks.

Honourable Akandoh reported that the World Health Organization has declared Ebola as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern and categorised countries into three risk groups.

He indicated that Ghana falls within the lowest risk bracket due to geographic distance from active transmission zones and ongoing preventive systems in place.

He noted that Ghana’s posture is precautionary while monitoring developments in affected regions such as Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.

He added that continuous surveillance at entry points and sustained public communication is important to safeguarding national health security.

“I am not here to sound alarm bells Neither am I here to press panic buttons. We are guiding the public with accurate information and the goal is prevention before any entry of disease. Ghanaians must stay informed and stay cautious” he explained.

The Member of Parliament for Juaboso, further advised Ghanaians to develop a clear understanding of the global situation surrounding the disease and its evolving dynamics.

He emphasized that prevention remains the most effective approach in safeguarding public health at all times.

He further noted that authorities are closely monitoring developments across countries where cases have been reported. He added that though Ghana’s current risk level remains very low, preparedness continues to serve as the strongest form of protection.

He reiterated that consistent public education and responsible health messaging will strengthen early detection and response readiness across the country.

Akandoh urged early reporting of Ebola symptoms including muscle pain, vomiting, unexplained bleeding and headaches. He cautioned against self diagnosis and encouraged citizens to seek medical confirmation at the nearest health facility without delay.

The Health Minister explained that transmission occurs through contact with infected animals such as fruit bats or through bodily fluids of infected persons. He noted that no confirmed cure or vaccine is currently available while global scientific research continues to advance treatment options.

He stressed the importance of public hygiene and compliance with preventive measures in communal settings. He encouraged reliance on official communications from the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service to prevent misinformation and panic.

“Every public gathering must provide hand washing facilities. Sanitizers should be made available at all events. We must not ignore basic hygiene practices and no disease requires a passport to spread, so citizens and government must work together” he indicated.

The Minister of Health also disclosed that surveillance systems at Kotoka International Airport have been strengthened to screen high risk arrivals. He added that isolation rooms, ambulance support and laboratory testing pathways are fully operational to ensure rapid response when necessary.

Honourable Akandoh indicated that samples are processed through Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research and a reference laboratory network.

He stated that Ghana’s preparedness systems have previously managed outbreaks such as Lassa fever and dengue fever effectively, strengthening confidence in current response capacity.

As a result of the fact that these established health surveillance and response systems have successfully managed previous outbreaks, he indicated that the country now possesses a stronger operational capacity and improved coordination mechanisms to respond effectively to emerging infectious disease threats.

In view of this strengthened preparedness, Honourable Akandoh stressed that maintaining readiness at all levels of the health system and among the public is essential to ensuring rapid detection, swift containment, and effective management of any potential cases.