Ebola threat: No mass gatherings without hand-washing station – Akandoh

The Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has directed that all mass gatherings across the country provide hand-washing facilities as part of measures to strengthen Ghana’s preparedness against a possible Ebola outbreak.

The directive follows an operational tour undertaken by the minister on Friday, May 29, to assess surveillance systems and emergency preparedness at the country’s key health and border facilities.

The visit was aimed at evaluating the nation’s readiness to detect and respond to any potential Ebola cases, despite Ghana currently recording no infections.

Speaking to the media after the tour, Akandoh called on the public to remain vigilant and cooperate with health authorities in implementing preventive measures.

“It’s very important for all of us to cooperate. From today [Friday, May 29], there should not be any mass gatherings without a hand-washing station,” he warned.

Mr Akandoh noted that hand-washing facilities should be made available at all public events and gatherings to enhance hygiene practices and reduce the risk of disease transmission.

As part of the tour, Mr Akandoh inspected screening installations at the Accra International Airport before visiting the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) and the Ghana Infectious Disease Centre (GIDC).

The government has intensified surveillance and preparedness efforts in response to concerns about Ebola outbreaks in parts of the West African sub-region, with health authorities maintaining that Ghana remains on high alert.

Officials say the country continues to strengthen its disease surveillance systems, laboratory testing capacity and emergency response mechanisms to safeguard public health.

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