Ghana’s Parliament has raised concerns over the country’s preparedness
to handle the dreaded Ebola virus should any eventuality hit our
borders.
According to the legislative House, security personnel detailed at the
various entry and exit points of the country risk contracting the virus,
as their findings showed that, the men and women in uniform lacked the
requisite logistics to handle any emergency Ebola case.
“At all the sites visited, it was obvious that the level of
preparedness and availability of the requisite logistics put the
frontline security personnel at serious risk, should any infected person
arrive at a border”, Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on
Defence and Interior, Fritz Baffour, lamented when addressing the
plenary yesterday, over the country’s preparedness to handle the spread
of the Ebola Epidemic.
He added: “Health personnel at all the border posts lacked vital items
such as – Personal Protective Gear (PPG), Ultra-Violet non-contact
Thermometers and disinfectants.
Transportation, such as ambulances, to carry suspected carriers to verification and treatment centers were absent.
In the few places where isolation and holding wards were available,
these were ramshackle and rundown, with little or no basic amenities
like running water, mosquito nets and beds.
Mr. Baffour and his team, in pursuant to Order 158 of the Standing
Orders of the Parliament of Ghana and with the kind permission of the
Speaker, had traveled to selected border posts to acquaint themselves
with first-hand information, as to whether the posts were well equipped
to prevent the disease from infiltrating into the country or not.
Among the border posts visited include Hamile in the Upper West Region,
Elubo in the Western Region, Paga, Missiga, Mgnori and Bawku in the
Upper East Region, as well as Aflao in the Volta Region.
Since the outbreak of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa, Ghana has been
at the forefront to find an antidote to the spread of the virus.
In September, Accra became the headquarters of the UN mission to combat
Ebola – where it will co-ordinate international aid to assist West
Africa to combat the spread of the virus.
Ghana has so far constructed an isolation center at its industrial hub,
Tema, while work on two others in Kumasi and Tamale were yet to be
completed.
President John Mahama also recently announced activating an insurance
package to motivate health workers who would battle the disease, should
any occur in the country. He also announced the procurement of 10,000
pieces of protective wear for the health workers.
But the Parliamentary Select Committee on Defence and Interior said a
lot more needed to be done to augment what had already been done.
They recommended that the Ambulance Service should be make available at
all the official border posts, at least one ambulance with trained
personnel to transport suspected infected disease carriers to the
designated facilities.
They also recommended that the frontline personnel must all be supplied
with Personal Protective Gear (PPG) and screening equipment, while that
of the Isolation and holding facilities for suspected carriers be
adequately provided with the necessary amenities to make inmates
comfortable and also protect the public from possible contamination and
infection.
Additionally, the Committee recommended that communication equipment at
all border posts be enhanced so that early warning messages and vital
information can be transmitted to key respondents and correspondents
promptly.
Furthermore, it said the manning levels at all border posts should be
increased with the right equipment and weaponry to effectively patrol
the very porous borders.
Despite the concerns raised, the Committee told the plenary that it was
really thrilled by the awareness and knowledge level of the personnel
they encountered with regard to the Ebola disease and its repercussion.
Contributing to the findings, the Majority Chief Whip, Alhaji Muntaka
Mubarak-Mohammed called for a united effort by the leadership of the
African continent to address the problem.
He urged the leaders to stop closing their borders and rather develop their health systems to stop the spread of the disease.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP for Nsawam-Adoagyire, Frank
Anno-Dompreh on his part appealed for the replication of a research
health center like the Noguchi Memorial Health Center to be built in
other parts of the country, especially the north.
Story:Ghana web
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