– Ghana has ramped up surveillance at all points of entry and health facilities across the country in response to a sharp rise in Ebola cases and deaths in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with health authorities warning that the virus poses a growing threat to West Africa.
Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh announced the heightened alert on Thursday, confirming that the government has activated a multi-layered detection system spanning airports, land borders, and community health centres. The move comes as the DRC grapples with its latest Ebola outbreak—now one of the deadliest in recent years—with the World Health Organization (WHO) reporting over 150 confirmed cases and a fatality rate exceeding 60% in the affected provinces.
“As a country, we have put the necessary steps in place, right from the airport to our surveillance centres,” Akandoh said. “We have activated our systems to prevent it in the first place, and as and when we also have it, we are ready to combat it.”
Strengthening Diagnostic Capacity
The Minister disclosed that the government has engaged the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research—Ghana’s premier biomedical research facility—to bolster testing capacity. Additional reagents and diagnostic equipment have been procured to ensure rapid confirmation of any suspected cases. Noguchi played a critical role during the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2022 Marburg virus scare, when Ghana successfully contained a handful of imported cases without local transmission.
“We do not have to wait until there’s an outbreak before we start putting things together,” Akandoh stressed, emphasising the importance of proactive readiness over reactive crisis management.
A Call for Regional Unity
Beyond domestic measures, the Minister urged African nations to strengthen cross-border collaboration, arguing that fragmented responses have historically allowed outbreaks to spiral. He called for a shared regional framework for real-time information exchange, expertise sharing, and joint procurement of medical supplies.
“Countries in the region must share information, expertise and technology,” he said. “We need to build a coordinated regional response system rather than mobilising resources only when an outbreak hits.”
He commended the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) for its ongoing coordination efforts but insisted that deeper bilateral and sub-regional cooperation is essential—particularly given the porous borders and high population mobility across West Africa.
Lessons from Past Emergencies
Akandoh noted that Ghana’s current preparedness draws heavily on lessons from recent health crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2022 Marburg virus alert, and the global Mpox (monkeypox) outbreak. Each event, he said, reinforced the critical importance of early detection, rapid containment, and sustained investment in public health infrastructure.
The Minister also reiterated the need for Africa to reduce its dependence on imported medical supplies, calling for expanded local production of diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines. This, he argued, would not only shorten response times but also insulate the continent from global supply chain disruptions during emergencies.
No Confirmed Cases Yet
As of press time, Ghana has recorded no suspected or confirmed Ebola cases. However, the Ministry of Health has urged the public to report any unexplained fever, bleeding, or contact with travellers from Ebola-affected regions. Health officials have also intensified public awareness campaigns on hand hygiene and safe burial practices—key measures to break the chain of transmission.
The DRC outbreak, which began in early 2026 in the eastern provinces, has already prompted neighbouring countries such as Rwanda and Uganda to activate similar surveillance protocols. With international travel resuming post-pandemic, Ghana’s authorities remain on high alert, hoping to replicate the success of their earlier containment efforts while preparing for the worst-case scenario.
