Health Ministry inspects Tema General Hospital Ebola centre

Officials of the Ministry of Health led by the Deputy Minister Victor Asare Bampoe have visited the newly constructed Ebola medical store and treatment centre at the Tema General hospital.

Barry Callebaut, a Non-Governmental Swiss cocoa processing company, constructed the 15-bed treatment centre and the store estimated at GH?80,000.00.

Mr John Andre, the Managing Director of Barry Callebaut, noted that, when the need was felt in August 2014 to support the Ebola centre, the company and the Swiss Embassy coordinated with the Ministry of Health to raise GH?80,000.00 for the project.

The organization said it was impressed by Ghana’s active participation in tackling Ebola on the ground by sending 42 medical volunteers to both Sierra Leone and Liberia.

Mr Bampoe said although the country has not recorded any positive case of the Ebola Virus Disease, which infected over 20,000 and killed nearly 10,000 in West Africa, the country still needed to take preventive steps.

“Although 138 suspected cases of Ebola have been recorded, tests at the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research have all turned negative, we still need to protect ourselves,” he said.

Mr Bampoe said an incident management system has been established to identify, isolate and manage any case of the disease detected in Ghana, and an emergency operations centre. Ghana’s preparedness has three-pillars, consisting Public Education, Point of Entry Screening and Active Community Surveillance, especially at flash points, as well as Case Management and Contact Tracing.

The Deputy Minister assured the public that the Tamale and Kumasi Ebola treatment centres, which are under construction, would be completed soon.

He said the original plan on case management was to have three treatment centres, however, government was now providing additional support to Regional, Teaching and Specialized Hospitals like the 37 Military and Police Hospitals to enable them to manage such cases.

Mr Kwabena Opoku Adusei,the Medical Director of the General hospital said effective infectious disease centres was needed for other infectious diseases such as H5N1, Avium flu, and bird flu.

“We need to prepare adequately for this disease since countries including the United States and Spain unexpectedly reported cases of the disease”, he said.

138 suspected Ebola cases tested in Ghana

A total of 138 suspected Ebola cases have been tested to be negative in Ghana by the Noguchi Memorial Research Institute.

Dr Victor Bampoe, Deputy Minister of Health, who announced this on Thursday, stressed that even though 138 suspected cases were recorded nationwide since the Ebola outbreak, Ghana has not recorded any positive one.

Dr Bampoe said this in a keynote address during the handing over of the Ebola medical stores at Tema General Hospital.

He indicated that even though the country is yet to record any Ebola case, his outfit would continue with its three point measures to ensure the safety of the public.

The measures, he said, include point of entry screening and active surveillance, public education and putting up centres to manage any outbreak.

He said the Ministry faced many challenges during the construction of the Ebola centres and thanked stakeholders for contributing towards their achievements.

Dr Badu Sarkodie, Director of Public Health at Ghana Health Service, said more than 25,000 Ebola cases and 12,000 deaths have been recorded in the sub-region since its outbreak.

Dr Sarkodie noted that even though the situation seemed to have gone down there is the need to sustain vigilance.

Mr John Andre, Managing Director of Barry Callebaut Ghana Limited, a cocoa processing company that financed the medical stores, said the company decided to support the GH? 80,000.00 project as part of its corporate social responsibility.

Mr Andre said the centre has two medical stores for the storage of Ebola personal protective equipment and medicines, offices and washrooms.

He expressed the company's appreciation to the 42 medical volunteers from Ghana for helping the three most affected countries in the West Africa sub-region.

Mr Gerhard Brugger, Ambassador of Switzerland to Ghana, thanked the Swiss company for collaborating with the Ministry to construct the centre.

Mr Brugger said the collaboration was proof of the 130 years corporation between Ghana and Switzerland.

Ebola: Reinforcing Health Systems in Africa

"Ebola has not yet been conquered." This is what Minister of Health Hermann Gröhe said before departing for West Africa. He is visiting the region most affected by Ebola, together with the Federal Development Minister Gerd Müller. A further 200 million euros is to be used for a special aid program.

Using this special aid program, Germany wants to promote health systems and a better crisis response in Africa. Development Minister Müller gave his assurance of this in a newspaper interview.

In their four-day trip to Ghana and Liberia the ministers want to gain information about the reconstruction of those countries which were particularly affected by Ebola. Müller and Gröhe are being accompanied by the German government's Ebola Commissioner, Walter Lindner, along with a delegation of national and international experts.

Initial successes have been achieved

Enlarge image Development Minister Müller, Health Minister Gröhe and the German government's Ebola Commissioner, Walter Lindner, on the way to Ghana (© Photothek / Grabowsky) The international community has set itself a new and complex challenge in the fight against Ebola. Significant successes have been achieved throughout the course of this. The number of cases is continually and consistently declining. The most important challenge is now the transition from humanitarian emergency aid to reconstruction and long-term stabilisation of the affected countries.
By the end of March 2015, around 25,200 diagnosed cases of illness were reported to the World Health Organization. Approximately 10,460 infected people had died by that time. There is reason to fear that the actual number of cases of illness is much higher, however.

Up to now, Germany provided financial assistance of around 195 million EUR to combat Ebola. Logistical support is on top of this. The Federal Armed Forces have transported approximately 700 tonnes of aid items to the affected countries. The Technische Hilfswerk took care of water provision in the treatment centres in Sierra Leone. In addition, many volunteers are and have been providing assistance. The Deutsches Rotes Kreuz was responsible for their training.

German aid geared to the long-term
Enlarge image Employees examine specimens in the Noguchi laboratories of the University of Ghana in Accra. Ghana has not suffered from the Ebola virus but is a logistic base to supply the countries Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea which are affected the strongest. (© picture alliance / dpa) The Federal government will continue its involvement. Germany is one of the few bilateral providers present in all three of the countries most affected by the crisis. The development cooperation from 165 local forces in all three countries will continue. Investments and fast-acting measures in the sectors for health, food security, education and infrastructure are in addition to this.

Germany is advancing the further development of European and international cooperation. In order to be able to intervene worldwide more quickly in future, a core team of white helmets is to be set up with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), consisting of mobile teams of doctors, technicians and specialists, Federal Development Minister Müller announced.

BBC ACCRA DEBATE ON EBOLA - WHAT NEXT? WHO RUNS A COUNTRY WHEN ITS IN CRISIS

Zeinab Badawi was in Ghana with a panel of decision-makers to discuss: Ebola - what next? Who runs a country when it's in crisis.The panelists were 5 people across the continent of Africa. The debate was held in the great hall of the University of Ghana,Accra.  
The Panelists were:

• Dr.Moustapha Koutoub Sano-Guinea Minister for internal co-operation.

• Jan Egeland is a Norwegian politician, formerly of the Labour party. He has been the Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council since August 2013. He was previously the Deputy Director of Human Rights Watch and the Director of Human Rights Watch Europe.

• Arnold Ekpe-Former head of ecobank. Africas largest independent regional banking group.

• Phumzile Mlambo-Ngucka United Nations Under Secretary -General and Executive

•  Leymah Gbowee who is Peace activist, women's rights advocate, mother of six, founder of Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa and 2011 Nobel Peace Laureate

The debate begun around 6 o’clock GMT. The main question was “After Ebola what next”.

Zinab asked if Ebola could have been prevented. Most of the panellists agreed it wasn't preventable but it could have been managed better because the number of people who died were too much.


 The distinguished writer Ama Atta Aidoo asked the first question ’ Why do locals look up to the International bodies when faced with an Ebola crises?  Can’t locals solve the issue themselves? International development, budgetary support have all become euphemisms of how we depend on the international community' she added.

The Panelists took this up and it was made clear that the international community has much more power to address and help with crises than the local people hence the local people look up to the international bodies. Zainab quoted from Margaret Chan the head of the world health organization ' I believe in self reliance, invest in your people  for results its difficult to rely on outside help all the time.Why cant we Africans help ourselves'

Leymah Gbowee  thought that Guinea rushing to the international community for help was ironic because they had enough money to buy flashy cars for Politicians in the country. The lack of governments to share their tiny sovereignty to create regional good like strong health system is also a problem.

The Panelist also hammered on the fact that African countries spend less than 10% of their Gdp on Health, Ebola is therefore a symptom of failed economic practice, There is nothing wrong with developing yourself  as a country and asking for help from the International bodies.

We have to avoid the fear factor which paralysed people which prevented good acts from different people,We also need to build local capacity so we can take up on the next crisis.We have gone through a lot. Borders were closed and stigmatization was high.We have to go in for integrated health systems so we can control things, Ebola is more than a health issue, its more of a social,educational and cultural problems. In the next  10 years, who is going to take care of these 10,000 orphans in Africa.Just as we have mobilized to end Ebola we should mobilize and take care of these children ebola has made orphans. The panelists concluded

Gov’t commends Ghanaian medical volunteers

The government has commended the team of medical volunteers who were dispatched from the country to assist during the peak of the outbreak of the Ebola viral disease in Liberia and Sierra Leone.

The 42 man-team, made up of doctors and nurses and other paramedical personnel, completed a four months medical spell in the two Ebola affected countries and are back safely in Ghana.

Vice President Kwesi Amissah-Arthur in an interaction with the medical volunteers at the Flagstaff House, praised the team members for helping to raise the flag of Ghana high.

He said the team by their action have shown that the African is capable of intervening in an in African problem, solving it, and not wait for the international Non-governmental organisations.

He urged the team to share their experiences with their colleagues back home and the things that the people must do to prevent them from contracting the disease.

Vice President Amissah-Arthur said in June last years when the disease was at its peak, Ghana offered its territory as the staging post for the UN medical emergency team as well as personnel from Europe, America and Asia for providing support to the Ebola affected countries.

He said people have praised Ghana for allowing her country to be used as the hub to assist the various international emergency teams.

He said very few people knew that 42 health specialist had left for Liberia and Sierra Leone at a considerable risk to their own lives to help stop the Ebola from reaching Ghana.

Vice President Amissah-Arthur also commended the West African Health Organisation (WAHO) for helping to prepare the medical volunteers for the task.

The Vice President said he had been informed that the medical procedures that the Ghanaian team adopted helped to increase the survival rate of the Ebola patients.

Mr Augustine Sagoe, Leader of the delegation also commended the volunteers for their dedication to work.

He said since the epidemic started, about 840 medical personnel from the affected countries were infected by the Ebola disease and 490 of them had died.

He was glad the 42 Ghanaian medical volunteers who went to Liberia and Sierra Leone were back home safely.

Her Excellency Dr. Ocansey Unmasks Ebola Impact!

Diasporan African leader and renowned philanthropist,
Her Excellency Rev. Dr. Ocansey, delivered a powerful keynote address unmasking the impact
of the deadly Ebola outbreak in West Africa.

Speaking at the University of Alberta-Canada’s maiden Ebola Symposium, Her Excellency indicated that the virus spread rapidly due to a ‘mistaken identity in a very weak health care system'.

‘Unlike Malaria and Lassa fever, Ebola broke the innate human contact system, leaving mothers to watch their babies die without being able to hold them!’ said Dr.Ocansey ‘By the time Ebola was fully diagnosed, the 'wolf' which came to town in 'sheep’s clothing' had infected many people, especially healthcare workers, who unknowingly treated the early cases like malaria or lassa with the lack of knowledge nor equipment for the strict ebola protocols, causing an unprecedented radical outbreak!’ said Dr. Ocansey, who is Chairperson of the rural African Nekotech Center of Excellence in Ghana, the Canadian Ebola Transfer2Transform Chimp Charity as well as the US-Africa Ebola Working Group, in DC.

The Symposium’s panel discussion brought together experts for a highly informative session on the Ebola tragedy in the three West African countries of Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.

Dr. James Talbot, Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, said the Province is well prepared to deal with any patient who may be infected with Ebola. ‘Anything that is required to improve the safety of the people in Alberta – patients, staff – we will do’, said Dr. James Talbot.

Alberta University’s Music Professor, Michael Frishkopf, who has been working on an interesting project – ‘Music for Ebola Education and Behavioural Change’ made a presentation with three popular Liberian Musicians – Samuel Morgan (aka Shadow), Edwin Tweh (aka D-12) and Mark Gray (aka Kuzzy of 2Kings). Michael, who has been working with local musicians in Liberia as well as in Northern Ghana, said music has untapped power which can have a major impact in creating accelerated awareness to save many lives.

Dr. Stan Houston, a Professor at the University of Alberta, gave a detailed presentation on ‘Ebola 101’, giving the full genesis of Ebola, which dates back to 1967, when the virus was first identified in Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo –DRC).

A very vivid presentation came from an Ebola front-line worker, Stephanie Urness, a nurse from MSF who worked in West Africa, treating Ebola patients. Stephanie described the anguish of friends and family when she decided to go to West Africa to assist with Ebola. She presented an alarming first hand experience of working on the front-lines as a healthcare worker coming face to face with Ebola.

Dr. Geoff Taylor, an HIV/AIDS expert from the University of Alberta, who had previously spent time on HIV/AIDS in Uganda, discussed hospital preparedness in Alberta for Ebola. Alberta has had a few Ebola scares, fortunately each case turned out negative for Ebola.

Dr. Duncan Saunders, a Medical Professor at the University of Alberta, said Alberta hospitals have taken all the necessary steps to deal with Ebola.

After a heated panel discussion on Canada’s, Alberta’s and the University’s role in Ebola Control, students made comments that Africans needed to take the leadership role, to empower the International community to play a supporting role.

Symposium attendees expressed their appreciation in seeing West Africans- musicians and a prominent West African leader, H.E. Rev. Dr. Ocansey, taking leadership roles in Ebola advocacy. As Chairperson of Nekotech Center's Canadian Chimp Charity- Transfer2Transform, Her Excellency is championing an international Virtual Viral Teaching Hospital to enable international experts to share their expertise without having to travel to West Africa.

'For lack of knowledge, my people perish,'said Dr. Ocansey. 'This virtual viral teaching hospital has been put together in partnership with eZ-Xpo, a US based game-changing virtual expo platform developer, which will enable a cost effective knowledge transfer to West Africa, to support the Government's efforts to strengthen our health care system,' said Dr. Ocansey.

'Ebola is a symptom of a larger problem,'said Dr. Ocansey. 'We sorely need to establish a healthcare system that can effectively manage a strong health surveillance system (HSS) and efficiently conduct an infection control and prevention (ICP) program on a daily basis. This will enable us to expediently detect and implement a rapid response to put any epidemic in check, be it Ebola, HIV, Cholera or any other in the future,' said Dr. Ocansey.

In the US, Dr. Ocansey chairs the US-Africa Ebola Working Group, a high powered Washington DC advocacy group whose Executive Director, Ms. Ellen Dunbar, is a visionary Liberian leader in Washington DC – under the leadership of Joel Segal, a renowned transformational Capitol Hill activist. Made up of top Capitol Hill leaders and seasoned White House Advocacy activists, the US-Africa Ebola Working Group has been actively lobbying the US Congress to release the promised $6.8 billion towards the Ebola war, with a Post Ebola plan of Universal healthcare for Africa. Shadow, D-12 and Kuzzy have been very effective in using their music internationally – both in Canada and the USA- to bring awareness and to advocate for support.

‘Complacency will cost us more lives!' warned Her Excellency. 'Let's put all hands on deck, harmonize the best practices and lessons learned and let's Crush Ebola for good!

Symposium attendees gave highly positive feedback on the symposium: ‘The content and presentations were very powerful, well organised, expertly delivered - I will surely participate in crushing Ebola for good!’ said a medical student from the University.

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Conducting prevention activities assiduously

In addition to supporting the Noguchi Institute, JICA together with the Ghanaian Health Service, a governmental agency of the Ministry of Health, is supporting and promoting the “National Preparedness and Response Plan for Prevention and Control of Ebola viral Disease in Ghana.” To begin with, JICA supported the production of printed materials such as posters and leafletss to educate residents to properly prevent Ebola infection without panicking. And Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers are conducting onsite prevention activities using printed materials.

JICA also provided 128 Japanese-made non-contact thermometers (a device that can be used without touching the skin). These non-contact thermometers contributed not only to border Ebola prevention, but also to regions where no Ebola cases had been found and no sense of danger was felt.

“It is also contributing to the safety of health officers at the port and medical staff who work on the frontline, screening people to prevent Ebola from entering Ghana,” said Erasmus Agongo, doctor, director of Policy, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Division, Ghana Health Service.

Furthermore, JICA partially supported the trainings dubbed: “Ebola Case Management Training,” prepared by the Ghana Health Service, targeting Ebola regional response teams throughout the country.

The person in charge of the training, Gertrude Avotri, a Programme Officer of the Institutional Care Division Ghana Health Service, said: “Training for Ebola Case Management was urgently needed. Although, our national budget was limited, with JICA’s support, many medical personnel, police officers and immigration officers throughout the country were able to acquire the capacity to prepare the management of Ebola cases to a certain extent.”

Those supports were conducted as part of an ongoing technical cooperation for the Ministry of Health and Ghana Health Service. JICA’s experts and Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers are working for those projects onsite.

JICA’s support of Ebola preparedness and response is ongoing. To contribute to smooth screening in border regions and at an airport, JICA has provided Japanese-made thermography cameras. JICA’s experts on infection prevention and control are also working on the promotion and reinforcement of Ebola prevention activities.

Supporting the production of a documentary presenting Ebola inspection system at Noguchi Institute

The NMIMR contributes to Ebola prevention in Ghana, as the only institute registered for Ebola inspection by the World Health Organization (WHO). However, at one point, residents living in the vicinity of the Institute raised serious questions about possible infection by specimens being brought.

To dispel their concerns, the NMIMR has produced a 15 minutes of documentary footage to show how inspections are conducted within the Institute. JICA supported its production and its broadcast in Ghana.

In the documentary, the Ministry of Health of Ghana as well as the country office of WHO, provided comments to give assurances about the capacity and expertise of the NMIMR to deal with inspections. JICA’s contributions were also presented in the footage including the dispatch of Japanese experts and training programs for Ghanaian researchers held in Japan to improve the research capacity of the NMIMR.

There is a scene in which Kwadwo Koram, professor, director of the NMIMR, expressed his gratitude for the long-term support and fruitful cooperation from Japan. This footage has been broadcast repeatedly on the state channel, and it will be also broadcast on commercial television soon.

Hideyo Noguchi’s sense of mission lives on in Ghana

Hideyo Noguchi is the figure printed on the one thousand Japanese yen bill. About 100 years ago he went to Ghana without his family and devoted himself to research on yellow fever. Unfortunately, he came down with this disease and his life ended in Ghana. To praise his achievement, the NMIMR was built as a basic medical research institute, with grant aid from Japan.

After completion of the NMIMR, JICA supported basic medical research in Ghana from the bottom up, by implementing technical cooperation projects on the prevention of several infections. Today, the NMIMR has developed to the point of engaging in cooperative research with other research institutions, and also having exchanges with Japanese universities.

Since 2010, together with Tokyo Medical and Dental University and Nagasaki International University, the NMIMR has been working on a project called “Studies of Anti-viral and Anti-parasitic Compounds from Selected Ghanaian Medicinal Plants,” which is a scientific cooperative project under the Science and Technology Research Partnership (SATREPS) between JICA and the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST). With the completed projects, JICA has sent experts to Ghana with the cooperation of Japanese universities, while a number of Ghanaian researchers went to Japan to obtain master’s degrees or doctoral degrees.

William Kwabena Ampofo, professor, head of Virology Department of the NMIMR, completed his doctorates at the Tokyo Medical and Dental University. He acts as an adviser for the emergency committee of the World Health Organization Ebola disease. And he is also offering technical support for Guinea, where Ebola has spread widely.

Study proves that Ebola is more distructive in young children

The team analyzed data on Ebola cases in children under 16 during the current outbreak in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone and found that young children who get the disease have a lower chance of surviving it, although the rate of infection is lower in children than adults.
As of March 2015, nearly 4,000 children under 16 have been affected by Ebola in the current epidemic, around a fifth of all confirmed and probable cases, according to the World Health Organization.
The study found that Ebola has affected young children most severely, killing around 90 percent of children aged under a year and around 80 percent of children aged one to four years who are infected.
Older children are much more likely to survive the disease. It has killed 52 percent of infected children aged 10 to 15. For adults aged 16 to 44, the case fatality rate is 65 percent.
The incubation period, the time between becoming infected and showing symptoms, was 6.9 days in children under a year and 9.8 days in children aged 10 to 15.
Younger children also had shorter times from the onset of symptoms to hospitalization and death, they found.
There were also differences in the symptoms experienced by children. Children were more likely to have a fever when they first see a doctor, and less likely to have pain in the abdomen, chest, joints, or muscles; difficulty breathing or swallowing; or hiccups.
“These findings show that Ebola affects young children quite differently to adults, and it’s especially important that we get them into treatment quickly. We also need to look at whether young children are getting treatment that’s appropriate for their age,” said Professor Christl Donnelly of the Imperial College London and a co-author of the study, in a statement.
The findings were published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Enditem

Generosity helping in fight against Ebola

Health care workers in Liberia are gowned, masked and sprayed down so they can help Ebola patients and not contract the disease. Donations from Langley have helped in the response to the disease.

— image credit: Photo courtesy of the Korle-Bu Neuroscience Foundation

The Langley-based Korle-Bu Neuroscience Foundation has been busy these past months, responding to the Ebola crisis in Liberia.
Marj Ratel, founder and director of KBNF, said to date, they have shipped four containers, three being received and one enroute.
They have eight more containers waiting to go. So far, 685 hospital beds are committed, coming from parts of Canada from here to Ontario. This week, KBNF is receiving 100-plus beds from Vancouver General Hospital alone.
“One thousand (beds) will become a reality I believe, this year,” said Ratel, a registered nurse.
The foundation committed last fall to collect 1,000 hospital beds and ship them to Liberia. That will require 18 containers, and shipping will cost about $5,000 per container.
“Just last week, we received a carload of clothing and shoes from a family south of Fraser Highway,” she said of the donations happening locally.
Their contributions will be going on the next shipment. The response from the Langley community has been touching, she said. Rotary clubs are also looking to help.
Ratel said Ebola has been heartbreaking and devastating, with hospital staff sharing stories and pictures of the wake of death and despair this disease leaves.
“Thankfully there have been no new cases in Liberia in over 26 days,” said Ratel.
KBNF is a registered charity that focuses mainly on providing medical support for brain and spinal injuries and other diseases for people of Ghana and other parts of West Africa.

The foundation has established a well-equipped teaching hospital on the outskirts of Accra, Ghana’s capital, and it treats patients from across West Africa.

UN Lauds President Mahama For His Leadership Foresight, Courage To Host UNMEER In Accra

The United Nations (UN) has commended President John Dramani Mahama, for his leadership foresight, courage and inspirational role to host the UN Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER) in Accra.

“On behalf of Mr Ban Ki-moon, the UN Secretary General extend the world body’s sincerely appreciation for the support and decisive leadership exhibited by President Mahama and the government of Ghana for generously hosting UNMEER at that difficult time,” Mr Maged Abdelaziz , Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Africa, stated on behalf of the UN Secretary General at the New York.

Mr Abdelaziz made the commendation at a high-level meeting of ECOWAS Ministers in Charge of Gender and Women’s Affairs at the margins of the 59th Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women at the New York.

UNMEER was established on September 19, 2014 after the unanimous adoption of the General Assembly Resolution 69/1, and the adoption of the Security Council Resolution 2177 (2014) on the Ebola outbreak.

UNMEER was set up as a temporary measure to meet immediate needs related to the unprecedented fight against Ebola and Ghana under the leadership of President Mahama who is also the current ECOWAS Chairman accepted to host the mission.

Mr Abdelaziz also commended the ECOWAS President, Mr Kadré Désiré Ouédraogo, and the African Union, for supporting and joining global efforts to combat the Ebola Virus Disease, especially in the most affected countries.

The President of the Bureau of Ministers of Social Development for ECOWAS, Nana Oye Lithur, who chaired the high-level meeting, recounted that Ebola has caused so much humanitarian disaster, displaced many people, created a wave of orphans, and also negatively impacted on the economic fortunes of affected countries and the sub-region as a whole.

She said Ebola recovery measures should address the needs of women, and harness their leadership roles as caregivers, change agents and community leaders.

“It is vital that women are equipped with requisite knowledge on Ebola so that they are able to support the Ebola prevention programmes. We request that the planning, programming, procurement, management, community programmes and recovery processes be made gender sensitive and participatory.

“Gender disaggregated data should be collected at all times,” Nana Oye Lithur who is also Ghana’s Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, stated.

The Gender Minister challenged the international community, governments and other stakeholders, to focus on women as key agents of change and social mobilizers with a central role to play in sharing knowledge, raising awareness and enhancing care.

“We as ministers in charge of Women Affairs in the ECOWAS sub-region, are committed to prioritizing gender and sustaining progress in fulfilling the gender agenda,” she noted.

The ECOWAS Ministers in charge of Gender and Women’s Affairs also used the platform to evaluate the negative socio-economic impact of Ebla haemorrhagic on West African women and proposes a regional programme to support the reintegration of victims in affected countries.

The high-level ECOWAS Gender Ministers meeting also assessed the impact of EVD on West African women; adopted a common strategy and innovative actions to limit the negative consequences of EVD on women and facilitate their rapid socio-economic rehabilitation by monitoring the gender indicators in the post-Ebola response.


SOURCE: Francis Ameyibor, GNA Special UN Correspondent, New York

Togolese President in Accra for Ebola meeting

Togolese President, Faure Essozimna Gnassingbe, ECOWAS’ Contact Person on Ebola is in Accra to participate in a High Level Coordination meeting of ECOWAS, the West African Health Organisation (WAHO) and other partners.
The meeting will make an assessment of the progress made so far by the West African sub-region in combating the disease.
President Gnassigbe was met at the airport by Vice President, Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur on Thursday.
The meeting which will be chaired by ECOWAS chairman, President John Mahama will discuss the effective coordination of the Ebola Response Initiatives and provide a platform for the sharing of information on the situation in affected member states.
The meeting will take place at the Accra International Conference Center on Friday.
- See more at: http://www.citifmonline.com/2015/01/16/togolese-president-accra-ebola-meeting/#sthash.x9tBoQC9.dpufTogolese President, Faure Essozimna Gnassingbe, ECOWAS’ Contact Person on Ebola is in Accra to participate in a High Level Coordination meeting of ECOWAS, the West African Health Organisation (WAHO) and other partners.

The meeting will make an assessment of the progress made so far by the West African sub-region in combating the disease.

President Gnassigbe was met at the airport by Vice President, Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur on Thursday.

The meeting which will be chaired by ECOWAS chairman, President John Mahama will discuss the effective coordination of the Ebola Response Initiatives and provide a platform for the sharing of information on the situation in affected member states.

The meeting will take place at the Accra International Conference Center on Friday.

Ghana risks recording Ebola case – Health Minister

Minister for Health, Dr. Kwaku Agyeman Mensah said Ghana stands a high risk of recording  a case of Ebola due to the continuous interactions with the countries most affected by the disease.

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Ebola: ‘Ghana is moderately ready’ – Dr. Bampoe

According to the Minister, activities of fishermen on the Gulf of Guinea and relationships between Liberians and their relatives in the Budumburam camp are mostly risks factors.

Dr. Agyeman Mensah who made this observation at a meeting of ECOWAS Health Ministers in Accra.

“Ghana however stands at high risk of infection on the counts that we have Ghanaian fishermen from Sierra Leone and Liberia who might return home to their relatives and the refugee camp at Budumburam with Liberian citizens which is noted as constant interaction between them an relatives in Ghana”

But the Minister therefore assured Ghanaians that these inhabitants are constantly monitored  adding, “these travelers are have been identified and monitored and the local health systems have alerted their contact tracing teams to monitor and follow these returnees up to the maximum incubation period of 21 days.”

Dr Mensah however said Ghana has put in place stringent measures to prevent the outbreak of the disease in the country stating, “these are indications on how far the government has gone in putting stringent measures for any possibilities.”

He then disclose that the even though the country has reported suspected case all tests turned out to be negative.

“In Ghana as at 10^th January this year 131 suspected Ebola cases have been reported and test as the Nuguchi Memorial Institute for Medical research indicates that all are negative for Ebola and other viral hemorrhagic fever,” he said.

-

By: Patricia Conteh/citifmonline.com/Ghana

- See more at: http://www.citifmonline.com/2015/01/16/ghana-risks-recording-ebola-case-health-minister/#sthash.RvPG96aw.dpufMinister for Health, Dr. Kwaku Agyeman Mensah said Ghana stands a high risk of recording  a case of Ebola due to the continuous interactions with the countries most affected by the disease.Minister for Health, Dr. Kwaku Agyeman Mensah said Ghana stands a high risk of recording  a case of Ebola due to the continuous interactions with the countries most affected by the disease.

According to the Minister, activities of fishermen on the Gulf of Guinea and relationships between Liberians and their relatives in the Budumburam camp are mostly risks factors.

Dr. Agyeman Mensah who made this observation at a meeting of ECOWAS Health Ministers in Accra.

“Ghana however stands at high risk of infection on the counts that we have Ghanaian fishermen from Sierra Leone and Liberia who might return home to their relatives and the refugee camp at Budumburam with Liberian citizens which is noted as constant interaction between them an relatives in Ghana”

But the Minister therefore assured Ghanaians that these inhabitants are constantly monitored  adding, “these travelers are have been identified and monitored and the local health systems have alerted their contact tracing teams to monitor and follow these returnees up to the maximum incubation period of 21 days.”

Dr Mensah however said Ghana has put in place stringent measures to prevent the outbreak of the disease in the country stating, “these are indications on how far the government has gone in putting stringent measures for any possibilities.”

He then disclose that the even though the country has reported suspected case all tests turned out to be negative.

“In Ghana as at 10^th January this year 131 suspected Ebola cases have been reported and test as the Nuguchi Memorial Institute for Medical research indicates that all are negative for Ebola and other viral hemorrhagic fever,” he said.

-

By: Patricia Conteh/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Related Stories

Ebola: Ghana named in WHO priority list

Ghana, 14 others at risk of Ebola exposure – Oxford Study

Ebola: ‘Ghana is moderately ready’ – Dr. Bampoe

According to the Minister, activities of fishermen on the Gulf of Guinea and relationships between Liberians and their relatives in the Budumburam camp are mostly risks factors.

Dr. Agyeman Mensah who made this observation at a meeting of ECOWAS Health Ministers in Accra.

“Ghana however stands at high risk of infection on the counts that we have Ghanaian fishermen from Sierra Leone and Liberia who might return home to their relatives and the refugee camp at Budumburam with Liberian citizens which is noted as constant interaction between them an relatives in Ghana”

But the Minister therefore assured Ghanaians that these inhabitants are constantly monitored  adding, “these travelers are have been identified and monitored and the local health systems have alerted their contact tracing teams to monitor and follow these returnees up to the maximum incubation period of 21 days.”

Dr Mensah however said Ghana has put in place stringent measures to prevent the outbreak of the disease in the country stating, “these are indications on how far the government has gone in putting stringent measures for any possibilities.”

He then disclose that the even though the country has reported suspected case all tests turned out to be negative.

“In Ghana as at 10^th January this year 131 suspected Ebola cases have been reported and test as the Nuguchi Memorial Institute for Medical research indicates that all are negative for Ebola and other viral hemorrhagic fever,” he said.

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By: Patricia Conteh/citifmonline.com/Ghana

- See more at: http://www.citifmonline.com/2015/01/16/ghana-risks-recording-ebola-case-health-minister/#sthash.RvPG96aw.dpuf

Ebola outbreak: Two vaccines cleared for trials in west Africa

Two potential Ebola vaccines have been approved for front-line trials in West Africa. The vaccines, developed by GlaxoSmithKline and Merck & Co, are expected to begin trails in Liberia at the end of January and Sierra Leone and Guinea in February.
The Merck vaccine were temporarily halted in December due to joint pain, a side effect later termed tolerable by the W
Having completed trials in the US and Europe, the next stage involves around 40,000 people being given the vaccine, including some healthcare workers. In a speech on 9 January, Marie-Paule Kieny, assistant director general of the WHO, was bullish, saying that the medical armoury against the disease was rapidly filling up.

at this time last year I would have said the cupboard was empty, dry, but now the cupboard is clearly filling up rapidly

She said.
The first stage of the process will involve three groups of 9,000 being given the vaccines in Liberia, the worst affected country. According to data from the WHO, over 21,000 people have been infected with Ebola and 0ver 8,200 have died. Although the rate of contagion has slowed recently, the outbreak is still raging on.

NGO creates awareness of Ebola, cholera in Upper East

The Institute of Social Research and Development, a non-governmental organisation, with support from UKAID, a British aid agency, has launched a project in the Upper East Region to create awareness of the Ebola and cholera diseases. The project will cover a period of six months.

It would impart knowledge of the disease to the people and also educate them on ways by which they can prevent the cholera and Ebola diseases through changing their behavioural patterns.

According to the project organisers, it is expected that by the end of the project, about 70 per cent of groups thought to be ‘‘at risk” would have had their knowledge broadened on the modes of transmission, signs and symptoms of the Ebola and cholera diseases. Beneficiaries

Pupils from selected schools in the Bolgatanga and Bawku municipalities, the Builsa North and South and Bawku West districts and the Talensi, Pusiga and Binduri towns in the Upper East Region have been sensitised to the diseases.

According to the Regional Coordinator for the Institute of Social Research and Development, Mr Abdul-Razak Issah, the sensitisation exercise formed part of the organisation's health promotion activities at the school level dubbed, "In-School Sensitisation Programme". He said, creating awareness among pupils and teachers was fundamental if the diseases were to be contained.

He said creating awareness of the diseases would also enhance the pupils’ personal hygiene and promote sound environmental management practices at the school and community levels.

Mr Issah urged the pupils to take control of themselves and serve as ambassadors in creating awareness of the diseases at the community level. He urged them to take note of the signs of the diseases that include high fever, vomiting, headache, diarrhoea, sore throat and bleeding.

He encouraged the pupils to wash their hands with soap frequently and report any suspected cases of either Ebola or cholera to the nearest health facility for investigation. He expressed his gratitude to the heads of the participatory schools and the pupils for making themselves available for the project.

Mr Issah further commended UKAID and the Ghana Health Service for supporting the project. About the NGO

The Institute of Social Research and Development was established as a non-governmental organisation in Ghana in 2006. It has the objective to undertake integrated development research and design and manage development programmes aimed at improving the lives of rural people.

Since its inception, the institute has implemented numerous projects mainly in the area of health particularly in the three northern regions of the country.

The organisation is working in 200 communities in the Upper East Region and has so far held stakeholders’ meetings, organised orientation courses for traditional and religious leaders and trained a number of community health nurses and surveillance volunteers in all the 13 municipalities and districts of the Upper East Region.

Source:GhanaWeb

Ghana to test Ebola vaccine by end of January

Ghana will by the end of this month begin Ebola vaccine trials in Hohoe and Kintampo.

The trials will inform scientists on effective results regarding the Ebola vaccine.

This forms part of preparations towards any case detection in the country.

The Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Health and Allied Sciences Ho, Professor Fred Binka, who disclosed this to Radio Ghana said the trial is being supported by the WHO.

Source:GBC

Tema Ebola centre ready

The Ebola centre in Tema is ready. It is part of three major centers being put up by the government of Ghana to deal with people who may contract the disease in the event of an outbreak.

“Everything is set in there and can be used in case we have an Ebola patient,” said Tony Goodman, the Public Relations Officer for Ministry of Health.

The 10-bed capacity structure was built with funds from the GHC 6 million released by the Ghana government to prepare the nation for any Ebola outbreak.

The remaining centers for the middle and northern belts are also expected to be ready soon.

The structure which is situated close to the entrance of the Tema General hospital is made of tarpaulin supported at the edges with metallic polls.

It has all the facilities needed in a medical ward including a decontamination chamber, corpse carrier bags, goggles, infrared thermometers, and nasal oxygen tubes, among others.

Ghana which is currently hosting a United Nations Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER), has so far tested over 80 suspected cases of Ebola which have all proven negative.

The country has received support from some other nations including the Japanese government which has donated 150,000 posters and brochures to the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to support the campaign to create awareness.

China has also donated 5 million yuan ($833,000) worth of equipment and medical supplies to help the country deal with any outbreak

Mr. Goodman said the Health Ministry is aiming at building permanent structures to handle such outbreaks in the future.

“We are looking at building a more suitable one,” he said, “one that can last for long.”

Ebola has killed over 3,000 people in West Africa with Serria Leone, Guinea and Liberia being the worst affected countries.

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