Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh assured the public of Ghana’s preparedness to detect and respond to any potential Ebola case after inspecting screening and emergency response measures at Accra International Airport.
He said Ghana had not recorded any case of Ebola and urged the public to remain calm, stressing that the government had strengthened surveillance and response systems to protect the country against the disease.
Hon. Akandoh explained that, given the absence of a specific treatment or vaccine for the current Ebola strain, early detection, contact tracing and effective containment remained critical to preventing the spread of the disease.
He confirmed that thermal scanners had been installed to screen arriving passengers for symptoms that could indicate an infection.
The Minister also disclosed that electronic health declaration forms were being finalised to enable passengers travelling to Ghana to provide relevant health information before arrival.
According to him, the forms would help health officials assess travellers and identify potential cases requiring further investigation.
He said the Ministry would soon issue an official statement on the implementation of the electronic declaration system, after which airlines and airport authorities would be expected to ensure that passengers completed the forms.
He added that the country had designated facilities for isolation and treatment should a case be detected.
“We are ready, and we are praying we don’t record any case, but if we do, we are ready to do the needful,” he said.
Mr Akandoh also emphasised the importance of strict adherence to screening protocols, noting that all arriving passengers must undergo the required procedures regardless of their status.
Mr Akandoh said the government is also expanding screening capacity to land borders as part of broader efforts to strengthen the country’s defences against infectious diseases.
