Ideas on preparing for the next epidemic in Ghana:
There is the need for some strategic assets to be put in place and secured as part of our emergency preparedness plan. In 2030 we cannot makes any excuses. The time has come for us to build formidable local capital.
Strategic asset 1(SA#1): Ten molecular diagnostics centres across the country complete with oligonucleotide synthesis, PCR, RT-PCR and sequencing reagents preparation capacity. Training of 1000 postgraduate level scientists to operate these high end centres in Ghana.
Strategic asset 2 (SA#2): local production plants for infection control chemicals such as chlorine, ethanol, bleach, hydrogen peroxide, etc. The country must maintain strategic stockpile at all times. Older stocks should be sold and replaced. The should be have rapid distribution plan.
Strategic asset 3 (SA#3):Personal protection equipment (PPE) production locally. With technological advances around the world efforts should be made to invent new PPEs that offer 100% protection and absolute comfort to frontline health workers. No more suicide missions should be imposed on them.
Strategic asset 4 (SA#4): Intensive care equipment fabrication and maintenance centers. As a country we shy away from the pursuit of technologically advanced projects. Let's grow up and get serious. ICU equipment are not luxury items anymore. Let's get to it sustainably.
Strategic asset 5 (SA#5): Continous pathogen monitoring suite. Nanopore sequencing devices are becoming increasingly common. They be embedded in automated systems to trap pathogens in the air and sequenced routinely. The predictive power of such suite will surpass GPHIN by far.
Unlike GPHIN, the continuous pathogens monitoring suite (CPMS) will not be limited by language barriers and also wait people to fall sick and write about it on the internet. AI tools will power the analytics of the data to determine realtime circulation of transmissible diseases.
The outbreaks of the future will be more vicious than any experienced in the past. That is just the way nature works. Evolution drives changes that ensures the greater success of the biological agent. The choice is ours to get serious or play. #COVID19 points us to the future
