Takoradi, Dec. 21,GNA - The Veterinary Services Department (VET) has held a two day simulation exercise for relevant stakeholders drawn from various departments and agencies in the Western Region to test their combat readiness for a possible outbreak of influenza in the country. Held in Takoradi, participants were from the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Metropolitan/District Assemblies, the Security, Health Institutions, Department of Social Welfare and Media personnel.

The exercise aimed at testing how the Integrated National Action Plan on the various types of influenza could be operationalised in the event of an actual outbreak of influenza in the country. The workshop which is being funded by the Support Programme Integrated National Action/European Union is held against the background of reported out break of Avian Influenza (AI), and the recent Influenza "A" HINI (Swine Flu) in Ghana.

Addressing the participants, Madam Betty Busumtwi-Sam, Deputy Western Regional Minister, said as the pandemic has devastating socio-economic effects on the country, many expert teams and key technical departments have been put in place to control the situation.

She said the a new Regional Flu Committee would concentrate its sensitization drive in the Nzema East Municipal and Jomoro Assemblies which were badly hit by the influenza A HINI and assured the affected farmers of government's support.

Madam Busumtwi-Sam pointed out that the national multi-sectoral emergency and disaster response structure had been energised to facilitate Ghana's response to all the challenges. According to her, laboratory capacity is being refurbished and modernised investigate suspected cases of AI in animal and human population and find solutions while a vibrant multi-sectoral communications committee ensures the that the right and accurate information about the pandemic is disseminated.

She suggested that expatriates who visited the country through the Western Region should be subjected to pre-entry instant medical screening instead of allowing them to mix with the people before examination. In a welcoming address, Mr. Japhet Baidoo, Western Regional Coordinator of NADMO, said following the draft national preparedness plan put in place, a regional task force made up of experts has drawn up a contingency plan to the tackle pandemic. To help propagate the message to the people, Mr. Baidoo said the disease control unit of the Ghana Education Services had trained selected teachers to take up the exercise to identify affected people for immediate attention.