MoH Activates Ebola Precautions After Reported Cases in DRC, Uganda
The Ministry of Health (MoH) has activated precautionary measures nationwide following reports of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) cases in parts of Africa, even as Ghana remains free of any suspected or confirmed infections.
In a press release issued on May 18, 2026, the Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh said the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Africa CDC had confirmed and suspected cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.
“Ghana has not recorded any suspected or confirmed case,” the statement said.
The Ministry said it is working with international health partners to strengthen the country’s preparedness and response systems.
Measures currently being implemented include enhanced surveillance and screening at airports, seaports, and land borders, and increased monitoring of travellers arriving from affected countries.
Health workers are also being trained and equipped to identify, isolate and manage suspected cases safely.
The government has activated public health emergency coordination and rapid response systems and intensified public education, risk communication, and community awareness activities.
The EVD is a severe viral illness spread through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected persons or contaminated materials and surfaces.
Symptoms include fever, weakness, headache, vomiting, diarrhoea, and in severe cases, bleeding.
The Ministry urged the public to remain calm and observe preventive measures: washing hands regularly with soap and water or using alcohol-based sanitisers, avoiding direct contact with the bodily fluids of sick persons, and avoiding handling dead bodies without proper protection.
It also advised against handling or eating sick or dead wild animals, and stressed that all meat should be properly handled and thoroughly cooked.
The public was asked to report suspected symptoms immediately to the nearest health facility and to avoid spreading misinformation, relying instead on official updates from the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service.
“The Ministry of Health and Ghana Health Service remain committed to protecting the health and safety of all persons in Ghana and will continue to monitor the situation closely,” the statement said.
Story by Hajara Fuseini
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