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Ghana activates Ebola Response plan … as outbreaks surge in DRC, Uganda
Ghana has intensified its national Ebola preparedness and response plan following outbreaks of the disease in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda.
Dr Franklin Asiedu-Bekoe, Director of Public Health at the Ghana Health Service (GHS), said the country had strengthened surveillance, laboratory testing, case management, infection prevention and control systems to ensure the early detection and rapid containment of any imported case.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that as of June 3, 2026, the DRC had recorded 344 confirmed Ebola cases and 60 deaths across 24 health zones in its Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu provinces.
The organisation said the number of suspected cases had reduced to 116 from more than 1,000 reported the previous week as health authorities worked through a backlog of investigations, confirming or ruling out cases.
In Uganda, authorities have recorded 15 confirmed cases and one death. Among the confirmed cases is a Congolese resident who travelled through the United Arab Emirates before entering Uganda.
Dr Asiedu-Bekoe said Ghana currently has three laboratories with the capacity to confirm Ebola infections: the National Public Health and Reference Laboratory in
Accra, the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, and the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research (KCCR).
“Any clinician who suspects a case can send samples to any of these laboratories for confirmation,” he said.
The Director for Public Health said enhanced surveillance measures had been activated at the country’s points of entry, including the Accra International Airport, where travellers arriving from high-risk countries would undergo additional health screening, including temperature checks and health assessments.
The GHS has also engaged key stakeholders operating at airports and border crossings to strengthen infection prevention measures, including sanitation, hand hygiene facilities and environmental cleaning.
On treatment readiness, Dr Asiedu-Bekoe said facilities such as the Ghana Infectious Disease Centre (GIDC), the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital and other designated treatment centres across the regions were prepared to manage suspected and confirmed Ebola cases if necessary.
He noted that any suspected case identified at a point of entry would be isolated immediately and safely transferred to a designated treatment facility for further assessment and care.
He said the GHS has also intensified public education and risk communication efforts, while the Ministry of Health has issued advisories to keep the public informed about developments and preventive measures.
Dr Aseidu-Bekoe said Ghana has not recorded any Ebola case and stressed the need for continued vigilance, citing increasing international travel and the risk of cross-border transmission.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO, speaking at a media briefing on Wednesday, expressed concern about blanket travel restrictions imposed by some countries in response to the outbreak, saying such measures were disrupting supply chains and hampering response efforts
He said WHO recommended exit screening at airports, ports and border crossings to prevent the international spread of cases and contacts.
Dr Tedros added that WHO and its partners were working to accelerate clinical trials as the DRC battles the outbreak without approved vaccines or therapeutics specifically targeted at the Bundibugyo strain of the virus. – GNA.
A woman who is accused of bolting with ‘susu’ money totaling GH₵156,445 has appeared before an Accra Circuit Court.
Martha Nana Esi Afful was alleged to have collected the money from 35 complainants.
Charged with 35 counts of fraudulent breach of trust, Martha, who was earlier remanded, pleaded not guilty.
The court, presided over by Mr Joseph Y. Kuunsong on Wednesday, admitted the accused person to a GH₵200,000 bail with two sureties.
One of the sureties, the court said, must be a public servant earning not less than GH₵5,000.
She is expected to reappear on August 12, 2026.
The Prosecution’s case before the court is that the complainants are traders and residents at La in Accra.
Prosecution described Martha as a ‘Susu’ collector, who resided at Burma Camp.
The court heard that the accused person run a business with the name ‘ZOE’ and she deceived the 35 complainants into believing that she collected ‘Susu’ daily, which was kept for a period of one-three years, and paid interest on the money invested.
The complainants contributed in 2023 for a three-year period, prosecution said.
In December 2025, when the complainants went to take their money with interest, Martha went into hiding and only took phone calls from a few complainants.
Prosecution said the accused provided a MTN Momo number through which a few of the complainants still paid monies.
It said all efforts made to collect the money, totaling GH₵156,445 from her, proved futile.
On June 14, 2026, a report was made to the police and Martha was picked up at a washing bay at Tse Addo.
During interrogation, she admitted the offence in her caution statement, saying she lost her husband and relocated to Swedru in the Central Region, hence the complainants were unable to reach her from December 2025 till date.
Prosecution said Martha further stated that she had invested the monies into refuse collection business and she needed time to pay the amount.
Police are investigating the claims. –GNA
A Public Health Nurse at the Roman Ridge Sub-Municipal of the Ayawaso West Health Directorate, Ms Patience Adoli Kporxah, has cautioned the public against coming into contact with floodwaters, warning that exposure can lead to serious diseases, infections and injuries.
Floodwater, she said, should always be treated as contaminated, regardless of how clean it appears, because it may contain sewage, human and animal waste, chemicals, fuel, sharp objects and disease-causing micro-organisms.
In an interview with The Spectator in Accra on Thursday, Ms Kporxah explained that contact with contaminated floodwater exposes people to bacteria, viruses, parasites, hazardous chemicals and other physical hazards that can result in illness or injury.
Her advice came in the wake of recent exposure to floodwater following Monday’s torrential rains that left vast areas of the capital flooded.
As a result, a lot of people were seen either ‘swimming’ in the floodwater to rescue people or retrieving items being washed away.
According to her, exposure to floodwater could cause skin infections, particularly where there are cuts or open wounds, as well as diarrhoea diseases such as cholera, typhoid fever, dysentery and other forms of gastroenteritis if contaminated water was swallowed.
Other health risks, she said include hepatitis A, eye and ear infections, tetanus in people with untreated wounds or incomplete vaccination, and injuries from submerged sharp objects, debris or electrical hazards.
Ms Kporxah advised anyone who had contact with floodwater to monitor their health closely and seek immediate medical attention if they develop symptoms such as fever, diarrhoea, vomiting, abdominal pain, severe headache, muscle aches, skin rash, difficulty breathing, or yellowing of the eyes or skin.
She also urged people whose wounds became red, swollen, painful or begin to discharge pus, as well as those who accidentally swallow floodwater, to report to the nearest health facility without delay.
Although not everyone exposed to floodwater requires immediate treatment, she stressed that pregnant women, people with weakened immune systems, individuals living with chronic illnesses and those with significant wounds should seek prompt medical evaluation.
On water safety, Ms Kporxah cautioned that rainwater was not automatically safe for drinking or cooking, especially during or after flooding. She explained that rainwater collected from roofs, gutters or open containers could be contaminated by bird and animal droppings, dust, leaves, bacteria, viruses, parasites and chemical pollutants.
She advised that rainwater intended for drinking should first be treated by boiling, chlorination or another approved water purification method before use.
Touching on food safety, Ms Kporxah said factory-sealed bottled drinks and canned foods with intact packaging might still be safe after flooding.
However, she stressed that any containers submerged in floodwater should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before handling. Foods in paper packaging, damaged containers or products with broken seals should be discarded because contaminated water may have seeped into them.
She further warned that flooding increases the risk of outbreaks of cholera, typhoid fever and other waterborne diseases through contaminated water sources.
In addition, she said flooding could contribute to respiratory illnesses in overcrowded shelters and mould-infested buildings, foodborne illnesses from spoiled or contaminated food, and mental health conditions such as anxiety, stress, depression and trauma.
It could also disrupt access to medicines and healthcare for people living with chronic conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, asthma and kidney disease.
Ms Kporxah therefore urged the public to practice good hygiene, avoid unnecessary contact with floodwater, consume only safe food and drinking water, and seek medical attention promptly whenever symptoms develop.
She said observing these preventive measures would help minimise the risk of disease outbreaks and protect lives as the country continues to experience heavy rains and flooding in some communities.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
