The Directorate of the
National Catholic Health Service (NCHS) has organised a sensitisation workshop for
some senior health practitioners of Catholic health facilities along the
borders of Ghana to prepare them to manage Ebola cases, should any be reported
to their facilities.
It would be recalled
that the deadly Ebola virus was reported in the West African countries of
Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia as well as in Nigeria and has claimed over 1000
lives, while over 2000 people were infected.
Most Rev. Joseph
Afrifah-Agyekum, Episcopal Chairman for Health of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’
Conference (GCBC), who chaired the day’s workshop at Koforidua, said the
meeting was in response to concerns about the spread of Ebola virus in the West
African Sub-region.
He said the “Church has
a duty to protect human dignity and
preserve life, and seeks to know more about the disease condition and what the
Conference could do to support the Ministry of Health (MOH) as we work together
to manage the current situation”.
Bishop Afrifah-Agyekum,
who is also the Bishop of Koforidua said in doing this, the Catholic Church was
not working in isolation but complementing Government’s efforts of preparation,
adding that the NCHS will share its actions plan with the Ghana Health Service
(GHS) and the Ministry of Health.
He thanked participants
for attending the meeting at a short notice, and urged them to make good use of
whatever they have until they get more of the protective garments.
Speakers at the
workshop included Dr. Ernest Asiedu of the Health Directorate of the National
Catholic Secretariat, who traced the history of the disease, highlighted the
mode of transmission with statistics of the death toll. He noted that the
disease which spreads quickly has affected many people including some religious
health personnel working to provide care to patients.
In another presentation
by Dr. Franklin Asiedu Bekoe, a Public Health Specialist at the GHS, called for
better management of information with regards to the disease, noting that there
was a strong stigma attached to EVD and there is the need to reduce the fear
and panic in the country.
He advised health
practitioners to bring their professionalism to bear and follow through the
reporting process when they suspect an Ebola case. He mentioned that there were
plans for media orientation to curb the unnecessary panic created among the
public.
Dr. Asiedu Bekoe said
the government has set up three Ebola Treatment Centres in the country:
Northern, Middle and Southern sectors, sited in Tamale, Kumasi and Tema
respectively. He stated that government was in the process of buying about 10,000
more Personal Protective Equipment for distribution to health personnel to
check the disease.
Mr. Ivan Tetteh Essegbey,
Acting Director of the NCHS, who moderated the workshop said the Directorate
has been working closely with the GHS and MOH in sharing documents on the
spread of the disease.
He said the meeting was
geared to sensitised key managers of the health facilities and the need for
adequate preparation of staff to be on alert.
Participants shared
experiences and adopted a guideline functioned out along the five thematic
areas including; Coordination, Surveillance, case management, social
mobilization plan as well as logistics, which aims at improving infection prevention
and control.
The guide indicates
that screening of Ebola suspected cases must start right from the entrance of
the health facilities to the consulting room as well as recommends the setting
up of an isolation unit or case holding area within the hospitals, where
suspected cases would be kept.
While waiting for the
10,000 PPEs, participants decided to improvise with raincoats and wellington
boots for use by health personnel. All health personnel in the care pathways
must observe infection prevention and be serious with hand washing.
In order to minimise
the fear and panic among the public, participants agreed on the need to
identify key persons to engage the media on Ebola Viral Diseases, as well as
give sensitisation training to staff, while increasing public education on the
disease.
*Bishop
Afrifah-Agyekum with the participants at the Workshop.
