Ghana must strengthen its passenger tracking systems and establish reliable ways to trace incoming travellers to improve preparedness against Ebola, a global health expert has cautioned.
Prof. John Amuasi, Global Health Lead at the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine (KCCR), said authorities should prioritise accurate passenger information and effective follow-up mechanisms rather than rely heavily on airport temperature screening.
Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Monday, he said temperature checks and hand sanitising measures might reassure the public but were unlikely to identify infected travellers effectively.
“Temperature checks, use of alcohol and rubs, all these things are nice. They give people some level of confidence, but the reality is that they are not going to catch Ebola cases for you,” he said.
Prof. Amuasi explained that travellers visibly displaying Ebola symptoms would be unlikely to board aircraft, limiting the effectiveness of screening measures at arrival points.
He said although testing could help identify infections, conducting polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests on every incoming passenger was not a practical option under the current circumstances.
“What is needed is actually the ability to test, and this doesn’t exist as it stands right now. We can’t be doing PCR tests for everyone coming in,” he said.
Instead, he urged authorities to ensure that every arriving passenger provides accurate contact details that can be used to trace them if they develop symptoms after entering Ghana.
“So for me, the single most important thing is being able to collect as accurate data as possible on every single person who comes off the plane in this country, making sure that the phone numbers they submit are accurate and finding a way of verifying it,” he said.
He also called for clear procedures to help travellers seek medical attention if they become unwell after leaving the airport.
According to Prof. Amuasi, passengers should be informed about designated health facilities to visit and telephone contacts to use if they develop symptoms, enabling health authorities to respond promptly.
He stressed that public education should focus particularly on incoming travellers, ensuring they understand how to report illness and access appropriate care.
Regional Ebola cases heighten concern
Prof. Amuasi’s warning comes amid reports of Ebola cases in parts of Africa, including Nigeria and Kenya.
Nigeria confirmed an imported case in Abuja on October 20, 2026. The patient had arrived from Uganda on October 3 and developed symptoms four days later.
By October 24, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention had identified 53 contacts for follow-up.
Kenya had recorded nine confirmed cases, including two deaths, by October 25, with all cases linked to its first imported case.
Uganda had also reported cases, although the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control indicated that the outbreak there had ended.
Against this backdrop, Prof. Amuasi said Ghana’s preparedness should focus on systems that enable health authorities to identify and reach potentially exposed travellers, rather than measures that mainly provide reassurance.
He reiterated that temperature checks and alcohol-based hand rubs could contribute to general precautions but should not be mistaken for effective protection against imported Ebola cases.
