Minister of Health Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has disclosed that Ghana is intensifying surveillance and screening measures at its borders in response to a new strain of the Ebola virus for which there is currently no vaccine or specific treatment.
Speaking on TV3’s Hot Issues programme on Sunday, June 7, 2026, the minister said the government is relying on prevention, early detection and containment as the country’s primary defence against a potential outbreak.
According to him, health screening protocols already in operation at Ghana’s international airports are being extended to major land borders to strengthen the country’s preparedness efforts.
Akandoh noted that he has personally inspected some of the measures being implemented and has tasked his deputy minister with touring various border posts to assess compliance with the new directives.
“All this briefing I had, I had to go there personally to check whether or not things are being implemented on the ground,” he said.
“So, my deputy will be travelling to some of these land borders to also see what we are doing there. We are replicating what we’re doing at the airport at the land borders. So, as much as possible, we are making ourselves foolproof,” he added.
The Health Minister explained that the absence of a vaccine or targeted treatment for the strain makes preventive measures even more critical.
“The interesting aspect is that this particular Ebola, we do not have a vaccine for it. We don’t have a specific cure for it,” Akandoh cautioned.
He stressed that monitoring entry points remains essential to preventing the virus from spreading into local communities.
“Our surest bet is to take the precautionary measures seriously and to watch our entry points. So that even if we detect any cases, we’ll be able to contain them,” he stated.
The Ministry of Health is expected to provide further updates on border surveillance operations and preparedness measures as monitoring activities continue across the country.
