Airport temperature checks offer comfort but won’t catch Ebola – Prof Amuasi

Prof John Amuasi, Global Health Lead at the KCC, warned that airport temperature checks will not catch Ebola cases. He wants Ghana to prioritise accurate passenger records and reliable ways to trace arrivals.

Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express on Monday, he said visible screening measures offer reassurance but have limited value in detecting infected travellers.

“Temperature checks, use of alcohol and rubs, all these things are nice. They give people some level of confidence, but the reality is that they are not going to catch Ebola cases for you,” he said.

Prof Amuasi said people visibly sick with Ebola symptoms were unlikely to board aircraft. That limits what officials can detect when passengers arrive.

“What is needed is actually the ability to test, and this doesn't exist as it stands right now. We can't be doing PCR tests for everyone coming in.”

His warning comes as Nigeria and Kenya respond to Ebola cases.

Nigeria confirmed an imported case in Abuja on October 20. The patient arrived from Uganda on October 3 and developed symptoms four days later.

By October 24, authorities had identified 53 contacts for follow-up, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention.

Kenya had recorded nine confirmed cases, including two deaths, by October 25. All were linked to its first imported case.

Uganda has also reported cases, where the outbreak has ended, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.

For Prof Amuasi, Ghana’s priority should be collecting information that allows authorities to find travellers if they later develop symptoms.

“So for me, the single most important thing is being able to collect as accurate data as possible on every single person who comes off the plane in this country, making sure that the phone numbers they submit are accurate and finding a way of verifying it.”

He also called for ways to locate arrivals when necessary. Travellers should know which designated facilities to visit and which telephone lines to use if symptoms develop.

He said education should focus on people entering the country. Authorities must ensure they understand how to report illness after leaving the airport.

“But for the other visual things we see, like alcohol rub and the temperature text, they are nice. They help people to be more confident and comfortable. But at this stage right now, they don't count very much,” he stated.