Health News of Tuesday, 26 August 2014

Source: starrfmonline.com

Noguchi Ebola tests results trusted – Health Minister

Ebola test results from the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) are trusted, health Minister Dr Kweku Agyemang-Mensah has assured Ghanaians.

His assurance follows recent claims by an anonymous person on social media claiming the political authorities in Ghana are conspiring with health experts to cover up allegedly confirmed Ebola cases in the West African country.

According to the audio recording, which was widespread on Whatsapp, the disease has already entered the country but is being concealed.

NMIMR has already tested about 45 suspected cases of the haemorrhagic fever, but none has proved positive.

Dr Agyemang-Mensah told journalists Monday that the work of NMIMR meets international standards and thus could be trusted.

Ebola has killed more than 1,400 people in West Africa since February this year. Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Nigeria are among the hardest hit countries. A case was recently recorded in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

African Leaders in the sub-Region are working together with the World Health Organization to curb the spread of the disease.