All COVID-19 travel restrictions lifted for travellers to Ghana

Ghana has been encouraged to lift all current COVID-19-related travel restrictions, according to the Ghana Health Service (GHS). This follows recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO) that nations lift their current COVID-19 travel restrictions.

WHO claims that the nations could make the pandemic’s economic and social stress worse.
It claimed that COVID-19 was no longer a global public health emergency.

The decision to eliminate the limitations in Accra was justified, according to Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, Director-General of the Health Service, in part by the country’s steady drop in COVID-19 cases during the previous five months.

According to him, pre-departure testing and testing at all points of entry are no longer requirements for all passengers, and as of May 20, 2023, the COVID-19 health declaration form for international travellers has been suspended based on the current global and national situation. This decision was made at the most recent national COVID-19 Task Force meeting on May 17, 2023.

However, Dr. Kuma-Aboagye pointed out that some more conservative measures, like the nationwide immunization campaign, will continue to permit ongoing vigilance and shield the populace against COVID-19 infections. At the GHS sentinel sites spread across all 16 areas, he declared, those with fever, cough, and sore throat symptoms would be checked for the flu and COVID-19.

GHS stated in a letter that surveillance would keep assisting in the discovery of any new COVID-19 variations of concern. The general population has been asked to continue using safety precautions including washing their hands with soap and water or sanitizing them with alcohol.

People who have a fever, a cough, or a sore throat should go to the closest medical facility for treatment. According to the report, outbreaks of Marburg viral disease, Lassa fever, monkeypox, measles, and yellow fever have occurred in Ghana since COVID-19 was declared a public health emergency.

It stated that despite these dangers, the nation’s health system has retained adequate capacity.

According to the statement, the Ghana Health Service and the Ministry of Health would maintain operational preparedness and flexibility to respond to COVID-19 outbreaks with the help of their partners. The GHS would continue to provide other crucial medical services, it was stated. There were only 18 current instances as of May 15, 2023, and none of them were severe or serious. It also stated that the lone covid-19 death in 2023 occurred in January.

The letter stated that since January 2023, 187,089 foreign travelers had entered the nation; of these, more than 98 percent were either completely immunized or underage travelers who were exempt from testing in accordance with the national guidance.

As a result, it claimed that only 3,890 people needed to be tested, of whom 24 gave positive results.

More than 13.5 million people had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine as of May 19, 2023, while 10.5 million people had undergone the full course of vaccination, and 4.5 million people had taken the vaccine.