Ebola: Ghana must track incoming travellers, not rely on temperature checks – Prof Amuasi

Ghana must focus on improving its surveillance and tracking of incoming travellers for Ebola prevention, rather than solely relying on temperature checks and hand sanitiser stations at airports, warns Professor John Amuasi, Head of Global Health at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. Amuasi explained that screening measures at airports were insufficient to identify all infected travellers, especially those who were not yet showing symptoms.

He emphasized that health authorities needed to collect accurate traveller data, verify contact details, and ensure easy reachability in case symptoms appeared after arrival. The KNUST academic stressed that visible symptoms were not a reliable indicator of the virus, as infected individuals might not present them upon landing. Instead, he advocated for a more comprehensive approach that included accurate traveller information, effective follow-up systems, and prompt testing.