Health Minister Akandoh Outlines Proactive Border Strategy Amid Global Ebola Emergency | Discuss Ghana

 In a swift executive move to protect national borders and calm public anxiety, the Minister for Health, Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has delivered a decisive address to the nation regarding the newly declared international health crisis.

Speaking from the Ministry's headquarters today, Friday, May 22, 2026, the Minister formally responded to the World Health Organization's (WHO) declaration of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) following a highly aggressive outbreak of the Bundibugyo Ebola virus strain in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda.

The Current National Status: No Cause for Panic

Minister Akandoh opened his address by giving Ghanaians an absolute guarantee regarding the country's current epidemiological data, confirming that state surveillance networks have not picked up a single infection within our territories:

"I want to state categorically and reassure the good people of Ghana that as of today, May 22, 2026, Ghana has recorded zero cases of Ebola. Our health systems are fully alert, and we are tracking global developments in real-time. While the WHO declaration means the world must act collectively, it does not mean there is immediate danger inside our borders. We are taking every preemptive measure to ensure it stays that way."

The "Bundibugyo" Threat Factor

The Minister explained that the Ministry of Health is treating the WHO declaration with the highest level of technical seriousness because of the specific nature of the current outbreak.

Unlike the more common Zaire ebolavirus strain, the Bundibugyo strain currently causing unusual clusters of community and healthcare-worker deaths in Ituri Province (DRC) and Kampala (Uganda) does not have a licensed, approved vaccine or specific therapeutic treatment. Consequently, containment relies entirely on rigid prevention, early detection, and strict institutional discipline.

Ghana’s Five-Pillar Counter-Strategy

To completely insulate the country from potential cross-border importation via air or land travel, Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh outlined a comprehensive, multi-agency emergency defense blueprint that takes effect immediately:

1. Thermal Scanning at Kotoka International Airport (KIA)

Port Health officials have been ordered to reactivate mandatory, 100% thermal screening protocols for all incoming passengers at KIA. Specialized focus and rigorous health-declaration screening will be directed at travelers arriving from or transiting through East and Central African aviation hubs.

2. Land Border Isolation Protocols

Working closely with the Ghana Immigration Service, the Ministry is deploying rapid-response medical teams to key land border posts in the Volta, Western, and Upper East regions. Isolation units previously established during past health panics are being fully dusted off, supplied with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and re-certified.

3. Activation of Public Health Emergency Committees

All regional and district directors of health have been put on high alert. The ministry has formally triggered the immediate sitting of all Public Health Emergency Committees across the 16 regions to streamline institutional communication.

4. Logistics and PPE Stockpiling

The Minister confirmed that the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has initiated an immediate audit and redistribution of national emergency stockpiles, ensuring that specialized isolation centers—including the national infectious disease facilities—are packed with fresh diagnostic reagents and protective suits.

5. Public Education Drive

The ministry is launching an aggressive media sensitization campaign across local radio and television networks. Citizens are urged to maintain high standard hygienic practices, report instances of unusual bleeding or high fever to health centers immediately, and ignore unverified social media broadcast loops designed to stir panic.