By Samira Larbie
Accra, Sept. 21, GNA – The International Organisation for Migration (IOM), with funding from Global Affairs Canada (GAC), has handed over Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and communication materials to the Port Health Department of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) at the Accra International Airport.
The donation is to strengthen the capacity of frontline health personnel to detect, prevent and respond to public health threats associated with cross-border travel, population mobility, and climate-related emergencies.
The items included 10 digital tablets, nine tablet stands, 300 protective goggles, 200 safety aprons, 10 face shields, 18 head covers and six shoe protectors.
Also donated were boxes of facemasks, hand sanitisers, gloves, detergents, as well as nine Ebola pull-up banners in French and two in English.
Ms Onyekachi Madubuko, Senior Policy Officer, representing the Chief of Mission, IOM Ghana, said the gesture formed part of the implementation of a project, dubbed: “Enhancing Cross-Border Public Health Preparedness and Response to Flood-Related Health Risks.”
She said it would strengthen operational readiness at the airport and support efforts to prevent, detect and respond to public health threats.
Ms Madubuko explained that the Accra International Airport played a critical role in safeguarding public health through the screening, monitoring and management of health risks associated with cross-border travel.
Effective preparedness and response at points of entry, therefore, were essential to reducing the spread of communicable diseases and ensuring compliance with national and international public health requirements, she noted.
Ms François Nduwimana, the Head of Cooperation at the High Commission of Canada, said the intervention demonstrated the strength of the partnership between Canada, Ghana and IOM in building resilient health systems.
She expressed appreciation to the GHS, Port Health Department and IOM for their collaboration and commitment to protecting public health.
Ms Nduwimana said climate-related events, disease outbreaks and increased human mobility presented complex challenges that required coordinated and forward-looking responses.
She noted that climate change was increasingly influencing public health outcomes, with floods and other climate-related emergencies capable of disrupting livelihoods, damaging health infrastructure and increasing the risk of disease outbreaks.
“Ghana’s efforts to strengthening preparedness at its points of entry are, therefore, not only important for national health security but also for regional and global health protection,” she said.
“Canada is proud to support initiatives aimed at strengthening surveillance systems, improving infection prevention and control, enhancing risk communication and building the capacity of frontline health personnel.”
Dr Alphonsus Nindow, the Deputy Director, Port Health Department, expressed gratitude to IOM and the Government of Canada for their continued partnership and support.
He said the equipment would enhance surveillance, traveller health screening, risk communication, health data collection and infection prevention and control activities at the airport.
Dr Nindow said the provision of the digital tablets was timely as the GHS was developing a digitised data collection system, with a pilot underway at the Accra International Airport.
He, however, noted that equipment alone could not strengthen health systems, thereby calling for partnerships, technical support, and collaboration.
He assured the partners that the items would be used for their intended purposes to enhance Port Health operations and safeguard the “health security of the country.”
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe
Reporter: Samira Larbie