The Solomon Islands Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation are working on prevention and control measures that would respond to a potential case of Ebola in Solomon Islands.
WHO Representative for Solomon Islands Dr Audrey Aumua confirmed that while the risk of Ebola spreading to Solomon Islands is low, strengthening prevention and control measures are important.
Dr Aumua says the WHO is providing additional Ebola-specific guidance and technical advice to Solomon Islands to enhance the prevention and control mechanisms for this disease.
Dr Aumua says Solomon Islands has established protocols to rapidly identify and respond to the importation of serious diseases such as Ebola.
Meanwhile, the acting Permanent Secretary of Health in Solomon Islands, Tenneth Dalipanda, says for Ebola to spread Solomons it would need to be imported by a person coming from a country infected with the virus, such as one of those affected by the current outbreak in West Africa.
Dr Dalipanda says this is very unlikely because of the long distance from West Africa to Solomon Islands, adding there are few people travelling between these countries.