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An Ebola scare hit the 37 Military Hospital in Accra yesterday
following the admission of two Ghanaian soldiers who recently returned
from peacekeeping duties in Mali.
The two soldiers are currently in isolation at the Bandoh Ward A and
although their blood samples are yet to be tested at the Noguchi
Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), medical personnel and
some patients on admission appeared alarmed when the Daily Graphic
visited the hospital.
Information picked up indicated that the two patients were admitted
last Tuesday, but suspicion of their being infected by the Ebola virus
was raised yesterday.
Tight-lipped staff
The Daily Graphic also learnt that some patients had been moved from
their wards, while some medical staff stood in groups to discuss the
issue.
Although most of the medical staff and other officials were
tight-lipped over the issue, a doctor who spoke on condition of
anonymity said it was yet to be confirmed if the soldiers had
contracted the disease.
It was observed that men in military uniform and wearing protective
equipment were disinfecting the wards.
Blood sample
The Deputy Director of Information and Press Relations of the
hospital, Lieutenant Commander Andy La-Anyane, told the Daily Graphic
that the blood samples of the two soldiers had been sent to the NMIMR
for further laboratory investigations.
He said the soldiers were currently not showing any signs of the
disease, adding that "we are waiting for the results from Noguchi".
He explained that it was part of precautionary measures for troops who
returned from countries hit by the disease to be quarantined for
medical investigations.
Lt Commander La-Anyane said that was because the Military High Command
did not want soldiers who returned from such countries to "go back to
the barracks and probably infect other people if they had contracted
the disease".
He stated that the command would not hesitate to put the information
out if the sample tests turned out to be positive.
Source: Graphic Online
