KIA Creates Special Arrival Points For Ebola Screening

Authorities at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) have created a special arrival point for travellers from four West African countries where Ebola cases have been reported. The countries are The Gambia, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Nigeria. The objective is to facilitate the proper screening of travellers from those countries who will be received at the special points. The Minister of Health, Dr Kwaku Agyeman Mensah, together with his deputy, Dr Victor Asare Bampoe, paid a working visit to the KIA yesterday to find out measures put in place by the authorities of the port in the wake of the Ebola outbreak. They were accompanied by the Country Director of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr Magda Robalo; the Deputy Minister for the Interior, Mr James Agalga; the Director of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), COP Peter Wiredu; the Deputy Minister for Transport, Mrs Joyce Bawa Mogtari, among others. Screening Another isolation centre has been created for people who have any form of fever. The arrival points are manned by officials of the Port Health Unit of the KIA. As part of the screening process, travellers are made to fill forms to give information on their health and provide other data. Such information will then determine what action needs to be taken by the health authorities. People who respond �yes� to any of the questions are given an �immediate case built form� which helps to collect more data from them. Non-contact thermometers Dr Bampoe presented two non-contact thermometers to the Port Health Unit to help in the screening of the passengers. The thermometers will help in detecting passengers who have high temperature, so that they could be given further screening. The Port Health Co-ordinator, Mr Michael Adjabeng, who briefed the minister and his entourage, said the unit was ready to handle any case that would be presented at the Arrival Hall. All staff members of the Port Health Unit at the Arrival Hall, together with officials from the GIS, wore protective masks and gloves as they worked. The team will also visit the Elubo Border Post today to inspect its preparedness in the wake of the Ebola outbreak.