Ministry of Health ready for Ghana 2008

The Minister of Health, Major Courage Quashigah (Rtd) on Monday gave the assurance that the Ministry was ready to deal with any disaster that might occur during the Ghana 2008, which will kick off in the next six days. He said though the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) had not fulfilled its promises in providing additional ambulances, there are funds for the purchase of equipment and other medical supplies and consumables. Speaking at a meeting in Accra to finalise the ministry's preparedness for the 26th MTN African Cup of Nations to be hosted from January 20 to February 10 at four selected stadia - Accra, Kaumasi, Tamale and Sekondi/Takoradi, Major Quashigah noted that, the ministry would not wait any longer for LOC but to take their own initiative and use what it has to salvage any eventuality that would occur. "Though we are still getting things in place, one cannot have everything before going into battle. We have to think of other contingencies and apply that", he said. The meeting, attended by Ministry of Health/Ghana Health Service local organizing teams from the four stadia sites, health personnel from the Police and Military hospitals had presentations from the four regions on their plans for the tournament. Major Quashigah urged the Ghana Police to perform their duties very meticulously by being at all points right from outside the various stadia to the inner parts of the stadia, "their presence at all points would scare people from misconducting themselves". He suggested that the police who would be assigned to the various fields faced the crowed instead of them facing the field turning their back to the crowd adding "facing them alone and gazing at their faces would put some fear into them and that will prevent anybody from misbehaving". The Minister encouraged the Police to also factor into their programmes, the control of both human and vehicular traffic that might occur since traffic jams might cause confusions. Dr. Irene Agyapong, the Greater-Accra Regional Health Director said 30 Gota handsets had been provided by the National Communications Authority to facilitate communications among team members. Tamale Teaching hospital and Tamale West hospitals appealed for more support to enable it put to shape the designated facilities. Dr Ahmed N. Zakariah, Director of the National Ambulance Service said though the promised ambulances from the LOC had not been provided, 16 fully equipped ambulances had been assigned all the 16 teams whilst other local health teams have their own ambulances to serve as backups. He said health workers in the designated hospitals in the four sites had been trained in disaster preparedness and management followed by simulation exercises. The Greater Accra, Ridge, 37 Military and Korle-Bu Teaching hospitals have been designated as first lines hospitals whilst Achimota, La, Tema, SSNIT and Police hospitals have been designated as second line hospitals. For Kumasi, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital would serve as the main hospital to be supported by KNUST hospital and Suntreso hospitals to serve casualties from the tournament, whilst for the Northern region, Tamale Teaching hospital and Tamale West hospital have designated as the hospitals to serve the tournament to be played in Tamale. Efie Nkwanta would be the main hospital to be supported by Esikado, GHAPOHA, VRA, Kwasimintim and Takoradi hospitals to serve the Sekondi teams.