Ghana may be recording its first case
of Ebola if tests on the blood samples
of a Burkinabe man suspected to
have died of Ebola proves positive.
The man who was rushed to the
Bawku Presby Hospital in the Upper
East Region from Burkina Faso died
on arrival.
The Medical Director at the Hospital,
Dr Joseph Yaw Manu, who confirmed
the incident to Citi News, said they
sent the blood samples for testing
because the man was brought in
showing symptoms of Ebola.
In an interview with Citi News , Dr.
Manu said the patient was bleeding
from his nostrils when he was
brought to the hospital by his
relatives.
This, he said raised their suspicion
he may have died of the Ebola
disease.
“We are just suspecting a case which
was brought in from Burkina Faso but
he was brought in dead. We took his
blood samples and it has been taken
to the Municipal Director of Health
and they are going take it on from
there,” he said.
Dr. Manu said they are awaiting the
results from the blood sample test to
verify the cause of death. However,
the body of the deceased has been
sent back to Burkina Faso.
He gave the assurance that the
hospital is prepared to battle the
disease saying, “we are prepared. As
we are talking right now, I am
preparing the things…We have the
isolation room but with the clothing,
we are now gathering them. Now that
we have seen a suspected case, we
are gathering them.”
This is the fourth suspected case of
Ebola reported in Ghana; two in
Kumasi, one in Accra and now the
Upper East Region.
Tests on the blood samples from the
suspected patients by the Noguchi
Memorial
Institute of Medical Research all
proved negative.
The Ebola disease has killed over 800
persons in four West African
countries including, Nigeria, Liberia,
Guinea and Sierra Leone.
The World Health Organization (WHO)
has declared an international health
emergency due to the rapid spread of
the disease in the West African sub-
region.
Ghanaians are currently apprehensive
about the disease which has affected
neighbouring countries.
The Health Ministries says it is
working closely with all health
institutions and border officials to
ensure citizens are protected.
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