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16.12.2017 Health

Ghana Needs A National Institute To Deal With Infectious Diseases

By GNA
Ghana Needs A National Institute To Deal With Infectious Diseases
16.12.2017 LISTEN

Ghana must prioritse the establishment of a National Infectious Disease Institute which would house a properly equipped and efficiently-manned National Infectious Disease Hospital, and a specialised laboratory facility for the isolation and confirmation of diagnosis.

The Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons (GHPS) and Ghana Public Health Association (GPHA), in a joint statement on the recent reports of disease outbreaks, said this will be in line with the Africa Centers for Disease Control Five Year Strategic Plan (2017-2021) of the African Union Commission Agenda.

'We call on the government and development partners to prioritise this initiative as a matter of urgency and fast track its establishment,' it said.

The statement signed by Professor Jacob Plange-Rhule, Rector of the GCPS and Prof Edwin Asare, the President of the GPHA, said the Institute should also have facilities for the training of field epidemiologists and biological scientists, as well as research facilities.

It also urged the Government and the Ministry of Health to mobilise resources needed for the Ghana Health Services and related agencies, to place the national surveillance system on the highest high alert required.

This, the health bodies said, would enable the detection, diagnose and containment of any new outbreaks, be it H1N1 or other infectious disease.

It described as 'encouraging' the announcement by the Director Public Health, Ghana Health Service, that the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service, the process for the establishment of a National Infectious Disease Hospital had been initiated.

'We associate ourselves with this initiative as it is long overdue because emerging and re-emerging Highly Pathogenic Infections will be with us for a long time to come,' the statement said.

'We give our fullest assurance to all, that our institutions are ready to provide technical support and collaborate with health officials in addressing this challenge,' the release said.

Ghana, the statement said, had to plan ahead for any disease outbreak, adding that reviews of Ghana's emergency system had shown that the country lacked the capacity to properly manage Highly Pathogenic Infections, such as Ebola, Human Influenzas and multi-resistant tuberculosis, without exposing health workers, patients and the community to great risks.

The GPHA, it said, had followed with keen interest the reported outbreak of H1N1 Swine flu at Kumasi Academy, in the Ashanti Region, and commended efforts made by health authorities, regional administration and other public and private agencies to bring the situation under control.

'We also note the role played by some responsible media outlets in providing timely and accurate information to the general public; this has no doubt helped to minimize panic in the population,' it said.

The statement, however, expressed concern about 'the reported high death rate among such a small cluster of people, and, persistent media reports of new outbreaks in other localities'.

It advised individuals, families and the public to take decisions on personal and household safety, based on information provided by their local and district health departments, and other outlets identified by the Ministry of Health.

GNA

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