Putting Ghana at risk of being hit with Ebola

A Spanish aid worker got infected with the EBOLA virus in Liberia and was flown back home to be treated but died and a nursing assistant who was involved in caring for this aid worker when he was flown back home, also contracted the virus and is currently fighting for her life in intensive care.

but before this nurse started to develop symptoms of the disease, she had actually been on holidays in many destinations across main-land Europe, interacting with hundreds of people, and this is currently causing a great deal of panic in most parts of Europe. The Liberian who flew to Texas and was later diagnosed with the disease has also resulted in over 50 people who came into direct contact with him, being quarantined while the trail of hot on those that might have had any form of contact with him on his journey from Liberia to his final destination in Texas.

now, a report by British experts which was carried on BBC,this morning,7th October,2014,has revealed that the figure of 100,000 currently being quoted as number of infected people in these three EBOLA-endemic west African nations of Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, by aid workers, is woefully underestimated, and that, the actual figure currently stands at over one-million.

the BBC report further said that just last Sunday,5th October,2014,over 150 died of EBOLA, with over 200 people getting infected daily, while bodies of those who have died of the disease are virtually littering the streets and homes due to the fact that volunteers carrying-out the burial of these victims have simply been overwhelmed.

This therefore tells you that, indeed, the situation on the ground in these EBOLA endemic countries are such that there is absolutely no safe haven for both citizens, workers and visitors. As a matter of fact, there is a report which points to the fact that, if the current rate of spread of the disease wasn't checked, then, there is a 50% likelihood of it hitting main-land Europe, and 70% likelihood of hitting America, within the next few weeks.

Now, the World Health Organisation, Russia, America, Cuba and all other non-governmental aid agencies desirous of helping with this EBOLA epidemic, have actually pitched camps within Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, where their help is actually needed. But on the part of UN,they have rather decided to take the path of shameless cowardice and crass mortal-fear by pitching camp here in Ghana, which is 'light-years' away from the center of real action.

But the point is, these coward UN people who are being pampered by Ghanaian government officials, will be travelling to/from these EBOLA endemic destinations, which therefore makes them potential contaminants,carriers,infectious and walking-incubators of this dreaded disease.

However, all we hear from NDC government officials, particularly Omane-Boamah,is that, these UN people are bring expertise, technical know-how and equipment into Ghana and that is going to be beneficial to us. We have never heard a word as to how activities of these UN staff are going to be monitored on our soil. We have not been told if their movements are going to be restricted, and not a word on precautions put in-place to protect local employees who will be working in close contact with these UN people.

so in conclusion, i'm of the strong belief that the decision by president John Mahama to allow our dear nation to be used as a launching-pad for these UN people, with absolutely no measure being put in-place to limit their movements and personal interactions within our country and with the citizenry, respectively, is a move which is completely UNWISE, woefully UNPRODUCTIVE, purely COSMETIC and potentially DEADLY; and must therefore be urgently REVISED or REVERSED!!!

Justice Abeeku Newton-Offei
(Executive Director)
Center for Media Policy