The Ministry of Health in Ghana has introduced a 21-day monitoring period for travellers arriving from countries experiencing active transmission of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola. This measure aims to prevent the disease from entering Ghana. The Ghana Health Service (GHS) will maintain contact with affected travellers throughout the monitoring period, requiring them to provide accessible contact details and report any emerging symptoms promptly.
The Ministry of Health announced this measure on Tuesday, November 3, as part of enhanced public health interventions at Ghana's international airports. The goal is to prevent the importation and spread of Ebola. Passengers arriving from countries with ongoing transmission will be monitored for up to 21 days, with the GHS contacting them for follow-up.
All passengers entering Ghana will undergo screening by Port Health officers, including temperature checks and assessments of their health declaration forms and travel histories. Travellers must disclose whether they have visited or transited through Ebola-affected countries within the previous 21 days, as well as any contact with suspected or confirmed cases.
Passengers exhibiting symptoms such as fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, severe weakness, or unexplained bleeding will be referred for further medical assessment. If necessary, they may be temporarily isolated and provided with medical attention. The Ministry warned that individuals providing misleading information, concealing symptoms, or refusing to cooperate with screening procedures could face public health measures in accordance with Ghanaian law.
Hotels, conference centres, and similar establishments are directed to notify the nearest district health directorate whenever guests arrive from affected countries and ensure their contact details are available. The Ministry emphasised that Ghana has not recorded any confirmed Ebola case, describing the measures as precautionary steps to protect public health.
The public is urged to rely on official updates from the Ministry and the GHS, refraining from circulating unverified information about the outbreak. The precautionary measures come amid the spread of Ebola across parts of Africa, with the latest outbreak reportedly claiming over 5,300 lives, largely in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
According to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), over 10,400 cases have been confirmed since the outbreak was declared in May, with a fatality rate exceeding 50%. The disease has also been reported in Uganda and Kenya, with Kenya recording its first-ever Ebola infections in October.
Key points
- Ghana introduces 21-day monitoring for travellers from Ebola-affected countries
- Travellers will be required to provide accessible contact details and report any symptoms promptly
- The measures aim to prevent the importation and spread of Ebola in Ghana
