Participants at a national forum on Ebola here in Accra have bemoaned the growing stigmatization of West Africans following the outbreak of the disease.

The disease has killed thousands in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.

But its impact is being felt even in faraway US and the UK among other countries where West Africans are being stigmatized.

This has been a subject of discussion at the national stakeholders’ engagement forum on Ebola on Tuesday.

Joy News’ Seth Kwame Boateng who was at the forum reports that speaker after speaker agreed that the stigmatization would rather worsen the spread of the deadly disease.

Head of UN programme Ms. Susan Namondo Ngongi warned: “The nature of a crisis such as this clearly increases the risk of stigma, isolation, abandonment and social isolation. This can lead to fear and panic, and in turn could slow down an effective preparedness and response.”

She also urged people to learn useful lessons from the success stories of Nigeria and Sierra Leone who have been able to effectively manage their initial cases and integrate into their planning.  

The forum would also be discussing how Ghana has effectively been prosecuting its campaign process and preparedness to contain it in case of outbreak.

Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Health, Joseph Yieleh Chireh said the Health Minister would be called to Parliament to explain Ghana’s preparedness among others to members.

Meanwhile, the Summit of Heads of States and Government of the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) on Ebola has been scheduled to take place on November 6.

The police say they will be closing some major roads in connection to facilitate movement of the leaders.

Director General of Police Public Affairs, DCOP Ampa Benin said the Liberation and Liberia roads would be closed and diverted to the Castle road. The Independence Avenue would also be affected.