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.

Ghana as a Hub Country for Ebola Countermeasures in West Africa

Ebola has been on the rampage in West Africa since the end of August 2014. Senegal, Nigeria and Mali, where Ebola had not widely spread compared to other countries, were eventually declared Ebola-free on Jan. 18, 2015. Whist, in the three most-affected countries, namely Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, where more than 8,000 had been killed, there have been fewer than 100 new confirmed cases reported in a week for the first time since its epidemic according to a report by the World Health Organization (as of Jan. 28). Even though the spread has slowed, the acute situation continues.

Ghana is located close to the countries where Ebola cases were found, and it is taking an important role in the fight against Ebola in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone. The United Nations established its head office for “the UN Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER)” in Ghana. UNMEER is controlling Ebola countermeasures in West Africa and also handling emergency supplies delivered from Japan and other countries. Both the Japanese Embassy and JICA office in Ghana administer Japanese government’s activities in Liberia and Sierra Leone, therefore, they contribute to providing support for both countries.

In Ghana, no Ebola cases have been reported. However, it is said that its infectious risk of Ebola is the highest because the flow of people over borders is high (2). An institution has been collecting more than 100 blood samples of suspected Ebola cases all over the country. This institution is the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), University of Ghana, built 35 years ago with Japanese cooperation.

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

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.

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.

Ghana to test Ebola vaccine in Kintampo

Ghana is scheduled to begin a trial of an Ebola vaccine by the end of this month.

The Ebola vaccine trials will be carried out in Hohoe and Kintampo.

According to the Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Professor Fred Binka, the trials will inform scientists on effective results regarding the Ebola vaccine.

This forms part of preparations towards any case detection in Ghana, he told Radio Ghana. The trial has the full backing of the World Health Organisation.

Meanwhile, Liberia, which is one of the West African countries ravaged by the disease has began a trial of a potential drug to treat Ebola.

The antiviral - brincidofovir - is being tested on Ebola patients on a voluntary basis. People who do not consent to it receive standard care.

Oxford University scientists leading the research say initial results are expected in the next few months. A study involving a similar drug - favipiravir - began in Guinea in December.

The Race for the Ebola Vaccine

With Ebola still raging in West Africa, the race to find a vaccine is heating up. Which drug company will be first to the finish line?

The need for an Ebola vaccine in West Africa has never been greater.
While public interest in Ebola continues to dwindle, the epidemic itself continues to soar. On Tuesday, the World Health Organization reported more than 20,000 cases of the disease in West Africa, nearly half of them in Sierra Leone. The death toll, which experts believe has been significantly undercut by secret burials, stands at 7,905. With a mortality rate of 70 percent, the more cases that arise, the deadlier this epidemic becomes.
Although a few smaller companies have become involved in the race for a vaccine, three major pharmaceutical makers are taking the lead—each pursuing a different vaccine. The trials are unprecedented for a variety of reasons, including the rapid timeline (trials of this nature generally take three to four years). Each individual race involves an unusual collaboration between researchers, manufacturers, and public-health entities. Together, the teams are working 24 hours a day for a product that promises much higher risk than it does profit.

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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.

Read more here

The Health Ministry has admitted that only one out of the three Ebola treatment centers is ready for use.

The Ministry however insists that the nation is ready to handle any eventual Ebola outbreak despite the fact that only one of the three treatment centers is complete.

“The ones for the northern and middle zones are not ready yet but it does not mean that if we have cases in the middle and northern zones, we will not have places to treat them or manage them,” said the Deputy Health Minister, Dr Victor Bampoe.

A few months ago, government announced the establishment of three Ebola treatment centers in the southern, middle and northern belts of the country to handle any eventuality, but only one is ready.

This is because government is yet to locate venues for the setting up of the two other treatment centers.

Speaking to Citi News at an Ebola training workshop for journalists organised by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Dr Bampoe stated that the government wants to create three treatment centers which will be centers of excellence.

According to him, while the government is striving to create excellent treatment centers, “we don’t want the perfect to be the enemy of the good.”

  read more here

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Only one Ebola treatment center is ready – Gov’t concedes

Thursday 6th November , 2014 2:42 pm

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 5  0  0  38The Health Ministry has admitted that only one out of the three Ebola treatment centers is ready for use.
The Ministry however insists that the nation is ready to handle any eventual Ebola outbreak despite the fact that only one of the three treatment centers is complete.
“The ones for the northern and middle zones are not ready yet but it does not mean that if we have cases in the middle and northern zones, we will not have places to treat them or manage them,” said the Deputy Health Minister, Dr Victor Bampoe.
A few months ago, government announced the establishment of three Ebola treatment centers in the southern, middle and northern belts of the country to handle any eventuality, but only one is ready.

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This is because government is yet to locate venues for the setting up of the two other treatment centers. Speaking to Citi News at an Ebola training workshop for journalists organised by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Dr Bampoe stated that the government wants to create three treatment centers which will be centers of excellence.
According to him, while the government is striving to create excellent treatment centers, “we don’t want the perfect to be the enemy of the good.”

- See more at: http://www.citifmonline.com/2014/11/06/one-ebola-treatment-center-ready-govt-concedes/#sthash.kJUWrVBt.dpuf