1
Country Office Ghana
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Outbreak
–
Update on Ghana
’s
Preparedness as at 14 February 2020
I.
Highlights
•
Using WHO’s
Country Readiness checklist, Ghana assessed its capacities to respond to any suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19 and identified gaps to plan for preparedness, response and control activities.
•
The Government of Ghana has committed 2.5 million Ghana Cedis to support preparedness.
•
Various activities are being undertaken including strengthening surveillance to identify suspected COVID-19 cases for testing.
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There is capacity in country to test for COVID-19 disease (Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical research and Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research).
•
So far, 15 suspected cases have been tested for with all 15 testing negative for COVID-19.
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Ghana is classified among Priority 1 countries in WHO Africa region for at being at risk based on flights and passenger volumes
II. COVID-19 Ghana Preparedness Status as at 7 February 2020
2
III. Ongoing Preparedness Activities Coordination
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Two meetings of the National Technical Coordinating Committee (NTCC) held to plan coordination and preparedness activities
•
WHO preparedness checklist completed
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Draft COVID-19 preparedness plan developed
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Alerts issued by the Director General (DG) of Ghana Health Service (GHS) on the outbreak circulated to all regions to initiate preparedness activities and enhance surveillance for respiratory diseases.
•
Meeting between DG of GHS with all Regional Directors of Health Services (RDHS) held to discuss and plan
regions’ preparedness for the outbreak
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Regional Public Health Emergency Management Committees activated
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Parliamentarians briefed on preparedness activities on 2 occasions
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Meeting with Chinese Ambassador to Ghana held to enhance information sharing and discuss monitoring/surveillance activities on returning Chinese Nationals to Ghana
Points of Entry (PoE)
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Stakeholder engagements with the Ghana Airport Company Limited, Ghana Immigration Services, Customs Division of Ghana Revenue Authority etc. held to strengthen COVID 19 preparedness and surveillance
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Screening of arriving passengers using thermal scanning and a health declaration form (HDF) ongoing
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PoE staff sensitized on case detection and Infection Prevention and Control (IPC)
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Holding room at the Kotoka International Airport utilized to hold COVID 19 suspected cases
Surveillance
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COVID 19 case definition adapted and disseminated to regional and lower levels
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COVID 19 case surveillance tools form adapted and in use
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National Rapid Response Team activated
Laboratory
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Testing of suspected cases ongoing at the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research
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Out of the 15 suspected cases testing negative for COVID 19, 5 tested positive for Influenza
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Capacity to test for COVID 19 cases also established at The Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research (KCCR)
3
Case management / Infection Prevention and Control (IPC)
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COVID 19 case management protocols adapted from WHO protocols
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Greater Accra Regional (Ridge) and Tema General Hospitals designated as treatment/isolation centres.
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Technical support visits undertaken by GHS Institutional Care Division (ICD) to designated facilities to asses IPC measures, logistics, etc
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Staff at the two identified treatment centres (Tema and Ridge) given preliminary training in case management and IPC
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Four other facilities (Ga East, Police, LEKMA and Korle Bu Teaching Hospitals) identified as additional facilities to support case management
Risk Communication/ Social Mobilization
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Media briefing on prepared activities conducted by the Ministry of Health
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Key messages and educational materials on Corona virus preparedness and preventive measures developed and disseminated
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Preventive messages on COVID 19 and related instructions to passengers broadcast on airport screens
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Four press releases on COVID 19 issued by the Minister of Health providing:
o
Information on evolution of the outbreak globally, clinical symptoms, directions on prevention and measures being taken within the country to early detect and manage possible cases
o
U
pdates on the country’s preparedness activities and on cases suspected and tested
•
Radio and television discussions/engagements
on the outbreak and Ghana’s preparedness
activities by GHS officials ongoing
Logistics
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Five thousand (5,000) PPEs provided by the government distributed to all regions, PoE and treatment centres
IV. WHO Support for COVID Preparedness Coordination
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The WHO Country Representative has co-chaired the National Technical Coordinating Committee (NTCC) meetings
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Supporting coordination meetings between Ghana Health Service and other partners highlighting gaps in priority areas for support