IOM supports Ebola prevention effort
The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has presented 8,000 Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) information posters and 20,000 health declaration forms to the Ghana Health Service for use at all the major points of entry.
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The Head of Mission of IOM in Ghana, Mrs Syliva Lopez-Ekra, made this known in an interaction with journalists in Tema, at a two-day EVD prevention and control workshop held for border entry officials from the Tema and Takoradi seaports.
The workshop brought together officials of the Port Health Authority, Ghana Immigration Service, and the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, to discuss and strengthen the capacity of personnel at the various points of entry, on how to conduct effective screening for EVD.
The workshop, which formed part of the IOM’s Ebola preparedness and co-ordination efforts, focused on the EVD infection prevention and control measures at various entry points.
Mrs Lopez-Ekra said the workshop formed part of measures that needed to be taken to prevent the further spread of Ebola to other countries such as Ghana which is yet to report a case.
Surveillance
While commending Ghana for the surveillance and control systems in place at the borders and other entry points, she said more needed to be done to strengthen the capacity of the various agencies to prevent the spread of the disease to the country.
"I think the coordination between the various entities at the various entry points needs to be improved. It is important that they have a clear standard operation procedure which is automated so that in the event a case is detected all the agencies know what role to play,"she suggested.
Course content
Mr Micheal Adjabeng, Coordinator of Port Health at the Ghana Health Service, who served as a resource person, took the participants through what caused the Ebola disease, how it was spread, who was at risk, symptoms, the treatment available, prevention and how to handle patients to avoid further spread.
According to him, as of January 20, 2015, out of the 21, 295 240 cases recorded globally, 8,412 had died.
In Ghana, he said tests conducted on 132 suspected cases had all proven negative as of January 9, 2015 and called on the public to be vigilant.
Another resource person, Dr Lawson Ahadzie, took the participants through the various standard surveillance case definitions, including the alert, suspected, probable and confirmed stages of Ebola and also educated them on how to accurately fill the health declaration forms.
Mr Richard John Marfo, also of the Port Health, based at the Kotoka International Airport, took the participants through the standard screening procedures at the points of entry.