The Ghana Health Service (GHS) and the Ministry of Health (MoH), has discredited rumours of an Ebola outbreak in the country.
An audio clip circulating on various social media platforms, suggested that the Ebola Viral Disease (EVD) was in Ghana, but some government officials wanted to keep it a secret from the public.
But a statement issued by the Ghana Health Service on Friday, March 03, 2017, and signed by the Public Relations Officer, Rebecca Ackwonu, said “this very piece of false information (same message, delivered by same voice) was circulated in 2015 during the outbreak of Ebola in the sub-region.”
It said the false message has the potential of causing fear and panic among the populace and must therefore be disregarded.
“Considering the seriousness of EVD, a highly infectious disease that spread quickly from person to person and characterized by the extremely high death rate, the message has high potential to cause fear and panic to the general population if we allow it to circulate without responding to it.”
“The Ministry of Health / Ghana Health Service wish to assure the general population that information within the audio clip indicating that there is Ebola outbreak in Ghana is false and has no basis. Surveillance on EVD and all other priority diseases is ongoing and no case of EVD has been detected as indicated in the clip.”
The statement further assured the public that, the government will under no circumstance hide any piece of information that affects the safety of the Ghanaian people, and will continue to carry out its role of protecting the country from such outbreaks.
“It is extremely difficult and indeed impossible to have a case of EVD and decide to hide it from the general public as the audio suggests. It is simply impossible to consider hiding case(s) of Ebola as the disease would be spreading to others and naturally come out. We will continue to do our best to prevent and protect the nation against the introduction of Ebola and any similar diseases into the country.”
“In accordance with the responsibility entrusted on us, the true and exact situation of any unfortunate event or occurrence related to EVD or any other health hazard would be communicated to the general public accordingly.”
The Ghana Health Service also urged the persons who are involved in circulating the false information to desist from the practice to avoid creating unnecessary tension.
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(Via: CitiFM Online Ghana)
