US Lauds Ghana�s Ebola Preparedness Plan

The United States (US) government has commended Ghana for its �impressive� Ebola preparedness plan and promised to support the plan to achieve its goals. Speaking at a meeting with the Chief of Staff, Mr Prosper Douglas Bani, at the Flagstaff House Wednesday, the US Ambassador to the United Nations, Ms Samantha Power, said both the preventive and containment measures put in place by the Ghanaian authorities were positive. "We shall help Ghana in its preventive measures and also quickly contain any case that may come up," she declared. Ms Power was at the Flagstaff House to brief the Chief of Staff on efforts the US government was making to battle the disease in West Africa. In a personal testimony about Ghana's strict preventive measures, the Ambassador said she went through rigorous screening when she arrived at the Kotoka International Airport, adding that the screening she went through gave a good idea of the prominence given to Ebola prevention in Ghana. Obama commends Ghana The Envoy conveyed President Obama's commendation to President Mahama for showing tremendous leadership in the Ebola battle. She said Ghana had a special place in the scheme of things in the Obama government. Ms Power, who has already visited Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, said she saw the pain and heartbreak of families affected by the disease during the visit. She called on Ghanaians not to entertain any fears about the presence of the United Nations Ebola Team in the country, saying members of the team who travelled to the three countries received maximum protection. Bani Mr Bani commended the US government for its significant commitment to the fight against Ebola in West Africa. He said Ghana recognised the fact that Ebola was not just a health problem but carried terrible social and economic consequences, saying that was the reason the entire world had to come together to control it. While showing appreciation for the global response to Ebola control in West Africa, he expressed the hope that bilateral and unilateral agencies would begin to emphasise the social and economic challenges. He promised that President Mahama would never go to sleep until the fight against Ebola was won. Mr Bani said the government had approved an insurance package for frontline health staff working on Ebola prevention and control. He urged the US to make its presence felt in the ECOWAS emergency meeting on Ebola in Accra on November 6.