Call for
international solution to curb SARS disease
He said there was the need for countries in the West Africa Sub-Region to work together to formulate an international solution to the disease. Kedem said this in Parliament in a statement on: "How Prepared Ghana was To Handle The Deadly Fast Spreading SARS Disease."
He said a virus that attacked its victims without warning caused SARS and unlike HIV/AIDS it was not a disease of choice since any one who breathed air to survive could contract it. Kedem said the airborne nature of the disease made it extremely contagious and dangerous, it spread fast, contaminated many people in the shortest possible time and especially people who slept together, ate together, moved together and travelled together.
"Like HIV/AIDS, it has no known cure. It is said to be more dangerous than AIDS and because it is an airborne disease it travels faster and in some cases unlike HIV/AIDS you need not be in direct contact with a victim before you are attacked", he said.
Kedem said the advent of SARS on the African continent should be considered extremely sad because the combined effects of SARS, HIV/AIDS and Malaria could spell the doom of all and aggravate the continent's already pitiable situation.
He said it was, therefore, necessary that strategies and plans were put in place to effectively confront the disease and there should be heightened preparedness and security at the borders and especially at the airports. Kedem added there was the need for “well trained medical teams to be stationed at our airports and borders. Travellers arriving at our ports should be screened and those suspected to be carrying the virus should be quarantined and if possible sent back to their country of origin".
The Member of Parliament suggested that the Noguchi Research Centre at Legon should be well equipped and prepared to help monitor the SARS disease while the hospitals should create special wards in anticipation of the arrival of the disease.
He said because of the serious impact SARS could have on
individuals and the economic survival of the country, the Minister of Health
should be invited to brief Parliament on preparations being made to tackle the
disease if it were introduced into
John Mahama, NDC-Bole, said SARS
was more of a threat than HIV/AIDS but because it broke out at the height of
the US-Iraq War, the world did not give it the needed concern and attention. He
said there was really a cause for alarm because the measures so far taken were
not adequate in view of the number of travellers from
Mahama said there was the need for health workers to be provided with protective suits while selected hospitals should be provided with the needed equipment to cope with an eventual outbreak of the disease. Joe Baidoe-Ansah, NPP_Effia-Kwesimintsim, said there was the urgent need to start preparing to curtail the outbreak of the disease and that it should not be restricted to only the airports but all the borders and to build the capacity to screen all people entering the country.
Charles Buor-Karikari, NPP-Amansie West, called for precautionary measures to be taken to help contain the disease and travellers and tourists should be checked and screened to prevent the importation of the disease.
Dr (Major) Mustapha Ahmed (Rtd), NDC- Ayawaso East, stressed the need to educate the people about the disease since there were no records its presence in the country. He stressed the need to take basic precautionary measures such as washing of hands immediately one gets home and wearing of mask to check contamination and spread of the disease.
Joseph Darko Mensah,
NPP - Okaikwe North, said
Felix Owusu-Adjapong, the Majority Leader and NPP- Akim Swedru, said the Minister of Health had given the assurance that he would appear before the House to brief it on measures being taken and said the government was concerned about the situation.
Freddie Blay, First Deputy Speaker, tasked the Leadership of the House and the Business Committee to ensure that all stakeholders on the issue were made to brief the House on their preparedness to contain an outbreak should the disease enter the country.
GRi…/
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