Ghana makes health declaration mandatory for all arriving travellers from 12 November
The Ghana Health Service says every passenger arriving in Ghana must complete an online Health Declaration Form before departure, from Thursday 12 November 2026. In a press release dated Saturday 7 November and signed by Director-General Dr Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, the Service said travellers must submit the form at ehds.ghs.gov.gh/declaration before embarking, to strengthen public health surveillance and preparedness. The directive follows the Health Ministry's 3 November Ebola precautions, under which arriving passengers are screened on arrival and travellers from countries with ongoing transmission are followed up for up to 21 days; Ghana has recorded no confirmed Ebola case.
Key points
- From Thursday 12 November, every arriving passenger — including returning Ghanaians — must complete the form before departure.
- The form is online only, at ehds.ghs.gov.gh/declaration, and issues a QR code for Port Health on arrival.
- It is part of Ghana's Ebola precautions: screening on arrival and up to 21 days of follow-up for travellers from countries with ongoing transmission.
- Ghana has recorded no confirmed Ebola case; the measures are precautionary.
What happened
The new mandatory date turns Ghana's Ebola precautions into a hard pre-travel requirement. Since 3 November, arriving passengers have faced screening by Port Health officers, and the electronic declaration system was already being used at Accra's airport, where Port Health staff were trained on it in late October.
The precautions respond to the Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus in several African countries, declared in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda in May. Ghana's Health Ministry says the rules will be reviewed as the situation evolves.
Claim by claim
Why this label: The press release's date, signatory and effective date are reported identically by NewsFile GH, read in full, and by Pulse Ghana's reporting carried by Chale News and Ghana Summary.
On the ladder: a claim earns Verified from primary evidence, or from two independent sources that do not copy each other.
Why this label: The portal itself was read: it carries the all-passengers requirement, the QR code and the 21-day declaration. The GHS's own site also records Port Health staff training on the electronic form at Accra's airport on 29 October.
On the ladder: a claim earns Verified from primary evidence, or from two independent sources that do not copy each other.
Why this label: The ministry's 3 November statement, signed by Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, is reported in full by the Ghana Guardian and NsEM360, and its terms match the arrival instructions on the GHS portal.
On the ladder: a claim earns Verified from primary evidence, or from two independent sources that do not copy each other.
Show all claims (1 more)
Why this label: The stated purpose and the request to airlines and agencies are in the press release as reported by NewsFile GH, read in full.
On the ladder: a claim earns Verified from primary evidence, or from two independent sources that do not copy each other.
What we know / what we don't know yet
What we know
- The requirement starts on Thursday 12 November 2026 and applies to all arriving passengers.
- The form is free and official only at ehds.ghs.gov.gh/declaration.
What we don't know yet
- What happens to a passenger who arrives without having completed the form — the GHS has not said.
- How long the mandatory requirement will remain in place.
Why it matters
Anyone flying to Ghana from 12 November — visitors, business travellers and Ghanaians coming home — now has a form to complete before they board, not on arrival. Missing it could mean delays at Port Health while the declaration is sorted out.
Background
The Ghana Health Service trains Port Health staff at Accra's airport on the electronic Health Declaration Form.
The Health Ministry announces Ebola screening, declarations and 21-day follow-up for arriving travellers, saying Ghana has no confirmed case.
The GHS press release makes the declaration mandatory for all arriving travellers from 12 November.
Update history
No silent edits. Every change is written here, with its time.
- Latest
Published. Basis: the Ghana Health Service's press release of 7 November and its own declaration portal.