The Ministry of Health of the People’s Republic of China reported to WHO, outbreak of Novel Corona Virus Infection in December 2019. The new Corona virus designated 2019-nCoV was first identified in Wuhan City, the capital of China’s Huge Province.

The virus has shown evidence of human-to-human transmission, with the number of cases sharply increasing to thousands with several deaths.

As of 4th February 2020, over 20,000 cases (20,604) have been reported from China and 26 other countries and the death toll stands at 427. There is no confirmed case in Ghana yet.

On 30th January 2020, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

The World Health Organization has recommended to member states to prepare and prevent further international exportation of the outbreak, by strengthening systems for containment including active, early detection, isolation, case and contact management.

The Minister of Health in Ghana, Hon. Kweku Agyeman Manu said the National Technical Coordination Committee (which is multi- sectoral and multi- disciplinary, with experts from the Ministry of Health, Ghana Health Service, the World Health Organization, Veterinary Services Department of the MOFA, Noguchi Memorial Institute of Medical Research (NMIMIR), Immigration Service, Security Agencies, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention among others has had three times.

Hon. Kweku Agyeman Manu further explained that the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service have sent alerts to all regions and districts to activate the respective Public Health Emergency Management Committees.

“Stakeholder engagements have started and we have met the authorities of Kotoka International Airport (KIA), Tema Port and Ghana Airport Company Limited (GACL).
Furthermore, we have held a meeting with the Chinese Ambassador to Ghana and discussed issues related with regulating high risk travels to and from the affected areas of China”, he mentioned.

The Chinese Ambassador indicated that, China is doing its best to contain the outbreak and indicated no Ghanaian in the affected area is infected.

He highly described the preparedness of Ghana towards the outbreak as highly professional and suggested against mass evacuation of Ghanaian nationals in the affected areas. The World Health Organization also hold this stand against mass evacuation.

Active surveillance within the country, as well as the point of entry has been enhanced.

Hon. Kwaku Agyemang Manu said the ministry of health has conducted training for the case management teams in Tema and Ridge hospitals and in the process to scale up. He said they have initiated process to designate more centers in highly populated areas of Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi and Temale.

Hon. Agyemang Manu noted that, social mobilization and risk communication plan has been developed for emergency response and a key message and alerts have been developed for the use by the general public.

These are aimed at providing public education on the outbreak and necessary prevention measures.

He continued that, jingles and media arrangements have been made to sensitize travellers on arrival at the various entry point.

Hon. Agyemang Manu said, the government of Ghana has allocated an amount of cedis equivalent of Ghs¢2.5million cedis for the start up towards the implementation of the initial response for national preparedness plan .

Hon. Agyemang Manu concluded by saying, the ministry of health has initiated a process to procure 10000 pieces of personal protective equipment for the use of all front line workers and arrangements are being made to procure insurance cover for all front line workers.
We are in to together and therefore call on the private sector and development partners to give their support to our national effort in to period of preparedness.

SOURCE: ODHYIEE NANA KWAME BOAH , MARKK RADIO