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A renowned medical practitioner, Dr Ken Aryeetey has dismissed a claim by Nigerian pastor, Prophet T. 8. Joshua, that his 'anointed water' can cure the deadly Ebola disease, describing it as a �hoax'. He therefore asked the public to disabuse their minds of the claim and observe strict preventive measures to combat the disease. Last Sunday, the Nigerian �man of God' Prophet Joshua, told his teeming congregation in Lagos that he was ready to use his "anointed water� to fight the scourge. In the interim, Prophet Joshua, who is the Senior Pastor of the Synagogue church of All Nations in Nigeria, promised to release 2,000 bottles of anointed water for the healing of patients who had been infected by the virus. He also challenged governments of affected countries to invite him for a grand spiritual attack on the disease. Reaction Reacting to the story in an interview with Daily Graphic in Accra, Dr Aryeetey who was once the Medical Director of Ghana's Parliament said such empty claims by religious leader made the work of health workers difficult. He also said since Ghanaians were gullible, such claims might result in some people �stampeding for this anointed water. It has got nothing to do with Ebola." Dr Aryeetey also urged the religious community not to spiritualise the disease, adding that "the message should be about prevention." He called on the media to help publicise the lack of protective gear for health personnel to deal with the disease and the country's preparedness, if the disease struck. Nyaho Clinic Dr Arycetey commended thestaff of Nyaho Clinic in Accra for doing a wonderful job when a suspected case of the disease was reported to them. �Weeks ago, Nyaho Clinic did a wonderful job by quarantining everybody for a suspected case of Ebola, till they were sure it was not the case," he said. Ebola has already claimed about 1000 lives in West Africa, mostly in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Liberia. Don't bank on �anointed water� Meanwhile, in the view of the President of the Full Gospel Church International (FGCI), Rt Rev. Samuel N. Mersah, it will be dangerous for people to rely on 'anointed water' and refrain from visiting a health facility if the disease strikes. In an interview with the Daily Graphic-, he said, "It would be a little more dangerous if we begin to think that when people have been attacked, they just need to pray without getting treatment and, for that matter, they shouldn't go to any health designated institution for this particular purpose. "If churches begin to adopt that, we would all end up killing each other and also kill ourselves," he said. The Rt Rev.Mensah said Ghanaians must patronise the government-designated health posts for the disease. He however, stated that while the person had been referred to the health post, he or she could be prayed for. "But to say that it is spiritual and therefore, we will have to pray about it and then the person wouldn't go to the hospital - that can be more suicidal." he added. The Rt. Rev. Mensah encouraged people to go to the hospital or health post once they had the identified symptoms and follow the directions given, after which churches could pray for them. He said churches were already praying that the disease should not spread to Ghana since they believed in prayer.