AU Commission Chairperson confers with Veep

Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Chairperson of the Africa Union (AU) Commission, has held discussions with Vice President Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur at the Flagstaff House on the Ebola pandemic in the sub-region.

The discussions between the two centered on measures taken by affected Ebola countries to contain and stop further transmission of the disease.

Dr. Zuma came to confer with the Ghanaian authorities, because of President John Dramani Mahama’s role as the Chairman of ECOWAS.

Currently, three countries in the West African sub-region, namely, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, have been ravaged by the Ebola pandemic, with over 4,500 deaths.

Dr. Zuma commended Ghana for playing a key role by acting as the hub to support sister-countries in the sub-region.

She appealed to the international community to provide more support to the three Ebola affected countries, since the outbreak of the viral disease has affected the economic activities of those countries.

She said the Ebola affected countries have also been isolated because the citizens of those countries have been prevented from traveling by air to other countries.

Dr. Zuma urged countries in the sub-region to work together, to reduce the transmission of the disease.

Vice President Amissah-Arthur, in his response, stated that despite Ghana’s limited resources, it would continue to assist her sister countries that have been affected by the Ebola disease.

He said the Ebola disease was no longer a West African sickness, and that the whole world must come together to fight the disease.

He said currently, the country is putting in place three Ebola treatment centres located at Tema, Kumasi and Tamale, to handle outbreak cases in the country.

Vice President Amissah-Arthur urged Ghanaians not to be complacent, and reduce person-to-person contacts, to avoid getting the disease.

Dr. Kwaku Agyemang Manu, Minister of Health, stated that it is not for the country to close its borders, but to ensure that travelers are properly screened at the country’s entry points.

He said the country has put in place various containment centres at Tema, Kumasi and Tamale to deal with any outbreak.