The Ghana Armed Forces has resolved to err on the side of caution in its effort to help keep the deadly Ebola Virus Disease out of Ghana.
According to the Deputy Director of Information and Press Relations of 37 Military Hospital in Accra, Lieutenant-Commander Andy La-Anyane, the Military High Command has directed all personnel returning home country hit by Ebola should be quarantined before being allowed into the barracks.
“The Military High Command does not want soldiers who return from such countries to go back to the barracks and probably infect other people if they had contracted the disease”.
Lt-Cdr La-Anyane was commenting on why two soldiers who arrived from Mali were quarantined at 37 Military Hospital on Tuesday.
The sight of military men in protective equipment disinfecting wards threw other patients into a high state of panic leading to requests for change of wards.
The DDIPR disclosed that the blood samples of the two soldiers had been sent to the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research 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.
He stated that the command would not hesitate to put the information out if the sample tests turned out to be positive.
The two Ghanaian soldiers had recently returned from peacekeeping duties in Mali.
They are currently in isolation at the Bandoh Ward A and although their blood samples are yet to test positive, the medical personnel and some patients on admission appeared alarmed.
Though the two patients had been admitted last Tuesday, suspicion of their being infected by the Ebola virus was raised Thursday.
This followed the removal of some patients moved from their ward, while some medical staff stood in groups to discuss 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.