6 Guineans Face Stigma Attack In Ghana �Due To Ebola Scare

Six Guinean nationals who arrived in Ghana and have settled in the Eastern region have become the subject of stigma attack following the outbreak of the deadly Ebola disease in their home country. The residents have been subjected to finger pointing and isolation by some of the residents for fear of contracting the Ebola virus. This is in spite of the fact that the health status of the foreign nationals is yet to be ascertained. The Eastern regional directorate of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has said there is no cause for alarm since health experts have been assigned to monitor the health status of the six persons who are currently living in two districts in the region. According to the GHS, the six persons have been monitored for 21 days now, but have not shown any symptoms related to the Ebola disease; therefore, the public should not entertain any fear of Ebola outbreak in the region. Meanwhile, during a presentation on Ebola by the Eastern regional director of the GHS, Dr. Mrs Charity Sarpong at the maiden meeting of the Eastern Regional Epidemic Management Committee on Tuesday in Koforidua, she stated that a suspected Ebola case has been recorded.However, the blood sample of the victim has been sent to the Noguchi Memorial Centre for laboratory tests, adding that all four suspected cases recorded at the Holy Family hospital at Begoro and the regional hospital have proven negative. The Regional Health Director explained that Ebola alert SOS messages have been sent to all health facilities across the region to be vigilant of suspected cases of the Ebola disease. She also stated that, facts sheet on Ebola, surveillance and interim infection control recommendations by the World Health Organization have been sent to health centres in the region. Also, efforts have been put in place in collaboration with the animal health and wildlife division, while public education has been intensified. She assured health workers in the region that the regional health directorate is waiting for the arrival of emergency stocks of logistics and supplies for cases management and laboratory investigations. She cautioned the public to observe personal hygiene and also desist from eating bats, monkeys and antelopes because they have been identified as carriers of the Ebola virus. Dr Mrs Sarpong also advised that families desist from going closer to dead persons whose death cause remains unknown and contact the nearest health centre for investigations. She advised the public to limit hand shake and hugging to prevent possible contract of the Ebola disease even though no case has been recorded in the country. The Eastern regional minister, Antwi Boasiako Sekyere who doubles as the regional chairman of the Eastern Regional Epidemic Management Committee, in his address directed that hand washing facilities must be made available at all public places and schools when schools re-open. He called on the media to be stakeholders in the Ebola sensitization programs by helping disseminate precautious information to the public. He said, the government has responded by setting up a high powered Inter-Ministerial Taskforce on the disease, adding that President John Dramani Mahama is committed to providing needed logistics to all health centres to safeguard health workers in their quest to prevent outbreak and spread of the disease in the country. He called on all Municipal and District Chief Executives in the region to collaborate with the stakeholders in their areas of jurisdiction to intensify awareness creation for the public. The meeting was attended by all MDCE's, district directors of health, Medical Supts at district hospitals and heads of departments and organizations such as the National Disaster Management Organization which was represented by the regional coordinator, Ransford Owusu Boakye.