Sunyani, May 14, GNA - The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture have put in coherent and effective measures to prevent and control the spread of the swine flu to the country.

Mr. Joseph Blankson Nyarko, acting Brong Ahafo co-ordinator of NADMO disclosed this at a regional emergency preparedness meeting on swine flu and human pandemic influenza in Sunyani. He gave the assurance that the two bodies would collaborate effectively with other partners in the prevention and control of the disease if it should be detected in Ghana.

The acting co-ordinator stated that "NADMO however wishes to entreat the general public to observe good personal hygiene and environmental sanitation practices to help promote good health". Mr Nyarko noted that the swine flu was becoming one of the greatest economic and health crisis, apart from the HIV/AIDS pandemic and needed pragmatic and co-ordinated efforts to check and mitigate its spread in Ghana.

To this end, he said, the government is putting in place a working group of experts from the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Food and Agriculture (Veterinary Services), Ministry of Interior, NADMO and other development partners to, among other activities, educate and disseminate information on the threat to the public.

The acting NADMO co-ordinator added that the national, regional and district disaster management committees formed the structures that would be depended on to handle the swine flu threat.

He gave the assurance that the government would not shirk its responsibility to offer support in logistics and other related resources in the prevention and control of the deadly pandemic. The acting NADMO co-ordinator mentioned symptoms or signs of the swine flu in humans as chills, sore throat, muscle pain, severe headache, weakness/fatigue, running nose and nausea, and vomiting. Mr. Nyarko reminded landlords and ladies to maintain their buildings in view of the onset of the raining season to forestall any form of disasters.