GMA calls for stronger Ebola preparedness in Ghana
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on The Ghana Report
The Ghana Medical Association (GMA), chaired by Professor Ernest Yorke, is calling on the government to strengthen health surveillance and care capacity over the risk of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola being introduced from Nigeria. The appeal follows a call already reported on 8 November, according to The Ghana Report.
The Ghana Medical Association (GMA), the professional association of Ghanaian doctors, is calling on the government to strengthen epidemiological surveillance, care capacity and emergency arrangements over the risk of Ebola being introduced into Ghana. Its president, Professor Ernest Yorke, called for stronger preventive action after the reported detection of the Bundibugyo strain of the virus in Nigeria, during the GMA’s 68th annual conference.
The GMA is notably calling for quarantine and isolation centres to be designated, case management and community-level surveillance to be strengthened, and budgetary allocations for emergency interventions to be established. The Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service have already undertaken public information, health worker awareness and surveillance at the country’s points of entry, but the GMA believes these measures should be expanded.
The call comes after measures already announced by Ghana against the Ebola risk. On 7 November, the country announced the introduction of an online health declaration from 12 November. On 8 November, the GMA had also called on Ghana to strengthen its response after a case in Nigeria.
