We’re working with GES to screen students before admission into SHS – GHS

Head of the Disease Surveillance Department of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr. Franklin Asiedu Bekoe says his outfit is working with the Ghana Education Service (GES) to ensure that all students admitted into the various Senior High Schools are medically screened before they are allowed entry.

The initiative, which is yet to meet a full nationwide coverage was instituted a year ago. It is free and also mandatory for all students to assess their health conditions, he said.

Now Ghana Health facilities actually do a series of tests for all students entering into Senior High Schools…you don’t need to do your own as private. It’s the Ghana Health Service accredited facilities that do the test and it started a year ago. So, that one should kind of assure us of the health status of students entering the school.

He added that GHS also has plans underway to provide schools across the country health facilities to help deal with severe medical conditions and also expedite early detection of outbreaks.

There are a number of schools; some have infirmaries or sick bays. But the idea is that we want to be sure that when you are sick to some severity, you must go to this hospital. It helps the health system to be able to aggregate and early detect an outbreak.  

Dr. Asiedu was speaking on the back of developments from the recent outbreak at some Senior High Schools in the Lower Manya-Krobo District of the Eastern Region, which GHS earlier in a statement indicated had been brought under control.

The secondary schools affected were Akuse Methodist Senior High School, Krobo Girls Senior High School, and the Legacy Girls Senior School.

Flu samples taken from affected students for laboratory testing confirmed the seasonal flu Type-A H3N2.

Although infectious, Dr. Asiedu explained that the virus was not pathogenic.

We label it as highly infectious but not pathogenic. You can easily get it but it doesn’t cause severe disease…It is a common virus causing influenza in Ghana. 

He, however, cautioned all to employ good hygienic practices to reduce incidences of the viral infection.

Dr. Asiedu was speaking on our morning show Campus Exclusive today.