We have the capacity to contain Mpox - Ghana Health Service

Accra, Ghana - The Director of Public Health at the Ghana Health Service, FraFranklin edu- Bekoe has assured the public of Ghana's readiness to tackle a potential Mpox outbreak.

Speaking to Citi News on Thursday, October. 3, 2024, Dr. Asiedu-Bekoe highlighted Ghana's effective surveillance and response measures.

According to him, Ghana's sensitive surveillance system enables quick identification of suspect cases, aided by clear case definitions. Notably, the country's two advanced labs, Noguchi and the reference lab, allowing for Mpox case confirmation – a capability only 30% of African countries possess.

He also noted the availability of treatment centers established during the COVID-19 pandemic are also equipped to handle severe cases.

Dr. Asiedu-Bekoe also stressed the need for continued training, sufficient Personal Protective Equipment for healthcare workers, and public awareness campaigns.

“We have the capacity to confirm. In Africa, it is only 30% who have the ability to confirm, and yet in Ghana, we have two labs – we have Noguchi, we have our reference lab. So these are big pluses for us," he stated.

“If they have a severe case, we have treatment centres which I will say are legacies from COVID. So these are pluses.”

“We need to now do more training. We also need to make sure that the health workers have enough PPEs so that they don’t get themselves infected, and then we also try to make sure that we create the necessary awareness," he added.

Source : Lead News Online