The Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has directed organisers of all mass gatherings across the country to provide hand-washing facilities as part of measures to strengthen Ghana’s preparedness against a possible Ebola outbreak.
The directive follows an operational tour conducted by the minister on Friday, May 29, to assess surveillance systems and emergency response readiness at key health and border facilities.
The tour was aimed at evaluating Ghana’s capacity to detect and respond swiftly to any potential Ebola cases, although the country has not recorded any infections.
Speaking to the media after the visit, Mr Akandoh urged the public to remain vigilant and support efforts by health authorities to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
“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 said.
The Health Minister stressed that hand-washing facilities must be made available at all public events and gatherings to promote good hygiene practices and minimise the risk of disease transmission.
As part of the tour, Mr Akandoh inspected health screening facilities 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 stepped up surveillance and preparedness measures in response to concerns about Ebola outbreaks in parts of the West African sub-region.
Health authorities have assured the public that Ghana remains free of Ebola cases but continues to maintain a high level of vigilance. Officials say efforts are underway to strengthen disease surveillance systems, laboratory testing capabilities and emergency response mechanisms to protect public health and ensure rapid intervention should any suspected case emerge.
