The Ghana Health Service (GHS) is set to receive 6,000 pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE) in readiness to battle a possible outbreak of the Ebola disease in Ghana.
The equipment which are expected to arrive in the country by the end of the week will be used by frontline health officials.
Speaking in an interview with Citi News, the Deputy Director of the disease control and prevention department of the GHS, Dr. Kyei Fareed disclosed that some existing equipment which were used during the outbreak of the Influenza A (H1N1) virus in Ghana have been dispatched to all 10 regions.
These equipment according to him, will be used as a preliminary measure until the personal protective equipment arrive in the country.
He pointed out that without the personal protective equipment, health officials will not treat an Ebola case.
“If somebody gets the disease, the truth is that nobody will step out to treat the person,” based on a unanimous understanding among health officials.
The Ebola virus has claimed about 1,200 lives and the World Health Organization (WHO) has approved the use of untested Ebola drugs to combat the outbreak in West Africa.
Ghana in its quest to prevent a likely outbreak has ordered the screening of all travelers at the various border posts and the Kotoka International Airport (KIA).
Ebola isolation centers have been set up across the country and health facilities have been tasked to set up isolation wards for any anticipated case.
Some organizations have volunteered to help the Health Ministry sensitize citizens on the deadly disease.
Although the government is doing its best to get Ghana ready for the disease, the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) and the junior doctors at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital are pressing the government to step up its activities.
By: Efua Idan Osam/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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