Ebola treatment centre to be constructed in Tamale
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed between the Ministry of Health and the Korea International Co-operation Agency (KOICA) for the construction of an Ebola treatment centre (ETC) in Tamale.
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The $423,000 centre is expected to be completed within 12 weeks to improve Ebola emergency referral system in the country.
The 16-bed Tamale Isolation Centre, which will also enhance Ebola-infected patients’ access to rapid medical care, is being funded by the KOICA.
The Korean Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Lyeo Woon-Ki, signed the MoU on behalf of the Korean government, while the Minister of Health, Dr Kwaku Agyemang-Mensah, signed for the government.
No Ebola in Ghana
Although the country is yet to record any Ebola case, strengthening Ghana’s preparedness in a sustainable way is considered critical to its ability to address any outbreak.
The Tamale ETC is expected to improve the Ebola emergency referral system and people’s access to the isolation centre from the five regions of the northern part of Ghana which shares borders with Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire and Togo.
The centre, to be constructed by the 48 Engineers Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces, will have separate wards for recovering patients.
Ebola is a global concern
Speaking after the signing ceremony in Accra last Monday, Mr Lyeo said the signing of the MoU reaffirmed Korea’s commitment to Ghana’s Ebola preparedness plan to manage Ebola cases.
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“The Korean Government has donated $4 million to the affected countries, as well as other West African countries, to enhance their capacity to handle Ebola cases,” he stated.
He commended the government for its swift response in putting up the International Co-ordinating Committee and the National Ebola Response Plan to increase Ghana’s level of preparedness in mitigating the Ebola outbreak.
Ghana prepared
Dr Agyemang–Mensah said Ghana faced a higher risk of Ebola spread, since it served as a logistics hub for the international fight against Ebola, as well as a transit point in the sub-region.
He stated that as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s preparedness in the fight against the contagious disease, there was the need to construct the ETC, in addition to the Tema Isolation Centre.