Ebola prevention high on govt's agenda - Minister

Dr Kwaku Agyemang-Mensah, Minister of Health, has reaffirmed government's commitment to strengthen the Ebola virus disease prevention measures by mobilising resources and intensifying public education on the need for people to stay safe.

He said government places high premium on health challenges confronting the citizenry and, therefore, viewed the Ebola outbreak in neighboring countries as not only a health threat but a canker that paralysed every human race.

Speaking at the fourth induction and swearing-in ceremony of Allied Health Professional Interns on Friday, Dr Agyemang-Mensah, said: “Ghana is currently marshalling all resources to combat the Ebola virus which is now endemic in some of our neighbouring countries.”

He said the cholera outbreak had taken a huge toll on the population and overstretched health facilities handling cases and expressed regret that it could have been prevented “if we had done our home work well by ensuring environmental and personal hygiene.”

The Minister urged Ghanaians to join the fight against the cholera outbreak that had killed over 120 citizens and also prevent the contraction of the Ebola virus that had also infected about 6000 and killing half of the number in the West African sub-region.

He said government was very conscious of the important role of the Allied Health professionals, and was committed to developing the profession to ensure the highest standard of health care for the people of Ghana.

Dr Agyemang-Mensah said: “One of such important actions taken by the NDC Government is the passage of Health Professions Regulatory Bodies Act to provide the necessary legal framework to regulate the training and practice of allied health professions in the country.”

He pledged the ministry’s commitment to provide the appropriate legislative instrument for the Allied Health Professions Council to operationalise the act.

Clement Opoku-Okrah, Ag Registrar of Allied Health Professions Council, appealed to the Minister to provide the Council with permanent office accommodation, adequate human resource and other logistics to enable it to meets its responsibilities under the Act.