The Port Health Unit and Plant Quarantine Services, have admitted their inabilities in executing some of their mandates in the port clearance chain as a result of absence of coordination among agencies that work in the port.
Addressing issues regarding the roles in the port clearance chain, during a live television engagement with Eye on Port, the Director of Port Health, Raphael John Marfo, admitted that their control is limited, as disinfection of cargo itself is not attained.
The Director of Port Health said, his outfit is only able to disinfect the exterior parts of containers which carry cargo. Hence, vectors and pests inside cargoes are not eliminated since cargoes are sealed.
“What port health is currently doing is disinfection of containers and that started this May. And we are taking care of microbes of public health importance not vectors of public health importance. Because until the containers are opened you cannot see vectors in there,” he revealed.
Raphael John Marfo revealed that, the Port Health is also currently embarking on a thorough disinfection of the areas in and around the port against rodents, who can spread diseases or destroy cargo.
According to him, it is in this light that, all food vendors in the port area are issued with medical certificates that license their businesses.
The Port Health Director also admitted that although his outfit is mandated to vaccinate every individual who works around the Port, that is all port users, this aspect of their job is yet to be fulfilled.
“For now, we haven’t vaccinated everyone at the port. We are still educating the stakeholders,” he admitted.
He said the Port Health Unit, is established in Ghana, to check and forestall any public health risk of international concern at the ports.
The Director of Port Health added that, his outfit is mandated to ensure all constituents of vessels that call Ghana’s ports, are compliant with all WHO regulations on spread of diseases as well as instill local public health conventions on food and hygiene.