Hamile health post can’t handle suspected Ebola cases
The Port Health Post at the Ghana-Burkina Faso border at Hamile in the Upper West Region, which is expected to screen all people entering the country for Ebola and other infectious diseases before they are allowed in, can only boast of a thermometer gun.
Advertisement
There is not a single personal protective equipment (PPE), such as gloves, medicines, beds or ambulance at the health post. Indeed, the centre looks deserted with clear indications of leakages anytime it rains.
Visit
These came to light when the Minister of Roads and Highways, Alhaji Inusah Fuseini, led directors of the ministry and some journalists on a visit to the health post at Hamile, as part of the minister’s inspection tour of the Western Corridor roads.
The Port Health Officer at the health post, Mr Mohammed Yakubu Issahak, expressed worry about the situation because of the dire consequences in the event of any suspected case of the disease at the border, since there was no facility to handle such cases.
"We are not well prepared because we don't have anything. Apart from this thermometer gun, we don't have anything here," he complained.
According to the officer, over 300 people from neighbouring countries such as Burkina Faso, Mali, Senegal and Guinea passed through the border into the country and "the only thing we do is to check their temperature using the thermometer gun”.
He said the District Health Directorate of the Ghana Health Service was aware of the situation and had promised to ensure that the health post was stocked with the needed equipment to bring it to an acceptable level.
Writer's Email: severious.dery@graphic.com.gh
