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.

Chinese Ambassador to Ghana H.E. Sun Baohong Attended the Extraordinary Session of ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government on Ebola

On 6th November 2014, the Extraordinary Session of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Authority of Heads of State and Government on Ebola was held in Accra. The Chairman of ECOWAS, President John Dramani Mahama, heads of state and government of the ECOWAS countries, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Mr. Desire Kadre Ouedraogo, and representatives from international and regional organizations attended the Extraordinary Session which focused on the fight against Ebola epidemic in West Africa and the situation in Burkina Faso. Chinese Ambassador to Ghana H.E. Ms. Sun Baohong attended the session as an observer and gave a speech in regard of China's aid to African countries for the fight against Ebola.

Ambassador Sun said epidemic knows no borders, yet adversity reveals true friendship. Since the outbreak of Ebola epidemic in West Africa, Chinese leaders and people have been compassionate and stood together with people in the affected countries. From April to October, China has conducted and pledged 4 batches of emergency aid to the tune of 750 million yuan RMB, which cover 13 African countries as well as international and regional organizations such as the United Nations (UN), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the African Union (AU). The aid from China is strong in force which registers quite a number of "first time": it is China's first time to use charted planes to deliver Ebola prevention and control materials to affected countries and other African countries in the shortest time possible; the first time for China to aid the mobile lab and the observation center in Sierra Leone; first time to build and operate an Ebola treatment center in Liberia; first time to send a whole unit of epidemic prevention and control personnel and military medical workers abroad. Just five days after President Xi Jinping's announcement of the plan for the fourth round of assistance on October 24th, building materials and medical equipments meant for the treatment center were sent to the capital of Liberia by 3 chartered planes. The Chinese side has provided the prevention materials, cash, food and mobile lab urgently needed by the affected area, and promised to further provide materials aid such as ambulances, motorcycles, health care packages, personal protective equipments, hospital beds, pickup trucks and incinerators. China actively takes part in the international cooperation on the fight against Ebola. Chinese health workers exchange and communicate with their international counterparts in the three Ebola-stricken countries. The Chinese side plays an active role in the international cooperation and coordination mechanism of UN and WHO.

Ambassador Sun spoke highly of the outstanding contributions made by President Mahama and the Ghanaian government to the fight against Ebola for the countries in the sub-region, and called on the international community to take concrete measures to fulfill as soon as possible the promise made to affected countries, mobilize more resources and means to further increase the intensity of aid to Africa. At the same time it is wished that all parties should strengthen communication and coordination, support UN and WHO to play a leading and coordinating role, further enhance the pertinence and effectiveness of aid so as to win the final victory over Ebola.

Ambassador Sun's speech won a warm applause from those present. Senior officials from the Ghanaian government, heads of missions accredited to Ghana, heads of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and representatives from the press congratulated Ambassador Sun and thanked the Chinese government for the generous assistance to African countries in the fight against Ebola. 

Story;Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the peoples Republic of China. Read more here