‘No need to press the panic button, Ghana is prepared for Ebola’ — Health Minister
The Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has assured the public that Ghana has not recorded any case of Ebola and there is no need for panic.
He said, however, that the government had stepped up surveillance and preparedness measures to ensure that any suspected case would be detected and contained promptly.
Mr Akandoh made the disclosure during an inspection of preparedness measures at the Kotoka International Airport on Wednesday, October 28, 2026.
He said the visit was to assess the implementation of directives he issued in May to strengthen the country’s preparedness against the disease.
“To start with, let me make it emphatically clear that Ghana has not recorded any case of Ebola. There is no need, absolutely no need, to press the panic buttons. That notwithstanding, we have put a lot of measures in place,” he stated.
The Minister said the strain of Ebola currently in circulation, which he referred to as the “budumbudju strain”, had no vaccine or specific treatment, making prevention, early detection and contact tracing critical to Ghana’s response.
“This strain of Ebola, they call it budumbudju strain of Ebola, has no vaccine, no specific treatment. And so our best defence is to keep our gate tight. Early detection, contact tracing, so that we will be able to contain if or when we record any case,” he said.
Mr Akandoh said measures introduced at the country’s main entry points included the installation of thermal scanners and the introduction of electronic health declaration forms for arriving passengers.
“One, I instructed for the installation of the thermal scanners. And today, as you have all seen for yourself, it is in place. I also have instructed for the electronic declaration forms,” he noted.
He said the electronic forms had subsequently been revised following further inputs and indicated that he would soon issue a directive requiring all passengers travelling to Ghana to complete them before arrival.
According to him, the information gathered through the forms would assist health authorities with surveillance and contact tracing should a suspected or confirmed case be identified.
Laboratories strengthened
The Health Minister also disclosed that Ghana had expanded its laboratory capacity to support the testing of suspected Ebola cases.
He said the number of laboratories capable of supporting the response was being increased from three to five.
“I even thought that we had only three labs, but just this morning, my Director General tells me that we are adding more to make it five. So when it comes to testing, we are also ready, and Noguchi is there, KCCR is there, the reference lab is also there.”
He added that the Infectious Disease Centre was available to provide isolation and treatment support should Ghana record a case.
“We are ready. We are praying we don’t record any case, but if we do, we are ready to do the needful. So we should not be afraid,” he said.
Ghana coordinating with regional partners
Mr Akandoh rejected suggestions that Ghana was the only country in the sub-region yet to record an Ebola case, saying he could not confirm that claim in relation to neighbouring countries.
“It is inaccurate to say that within the sub region, we are the only country that has not recorded any case. I don’t know of Togo. I don’t know of Cote d’Ivoire,” he said.
He said Ghana was maintaining coordination with international and regional health institutions, including the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the World Health Organisation (WHO).
He added that Health Ministers and Directors-General of Health Services were also coordinating their responses, with a virtual meeting of Health Ministers scheduled to discuss the situation.
No spending limit on surveillance
The Minister said government would provide the resources required to strengthen surveillance and protect health workers, insisting that funding would be based on need rather than a predetermined ceiling.
“As and when necessary. Whatever we need to do. There is no specific amount. If there is a need to put in 1,000 Ghana Cedis, we’ll do so. If there is a need for us to go to 2,000 Ghana Cedis, we’ll do so. It’s not a straitjacket issue. As and when they need the PPEs, we must pay for them.”
He also stressed that screening and other health protocols at the airport would apply to every traveller, including VIP passengers.
“Diseases are not respectful of anybody. So both at the VIP level and everywhere, anybody who arrives must go through the processes.”
Mr Akandoh said health officials would continue to insist on measures such as hand sanitisation while ensuring that the protocols were implemented firmly and respectfully.
Land borders to receive more attention
On Ghana’s land borders, the Minister said some screening was already taking place but would be intensified through the deployment of additional personnel and logistics.
He reiterated that the government was taking preventive measures seriously and was prepared to respond swiftly should an Ebola case be detected.
The Minister therefore urged the public to remain calm while adhering to health and screening protocols, stressing that Ghana’s preparedness was focused on preventing an outbreak and ensuring early containment if a case emerges.