Ghana Makes Online Health Declaration Mandatory for All Incoming Travellers

ACCRA, GHANA — All travellers to Ghana must complete an online Ghana health declaration form before departure from 12 November 2026, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has announced, Africa Health Report said on 8 November.

The GHS announced the requirement in a statement issued on Saturday, 7 November, and signed by Director-General Dr Samuel Kaba Akoriyea. Passengers must submit the form through the GHS electronic health declaration portal before boarding.

The statement said “all passengers travelling to Ghana will be required to complete the Health Declaration Form.” The GHS urged airlines, travel agencies and other stakeholders to inform passengers to avoid disruption.

What the Ghana health declaration form is for

The Ghana health declaration form is intended to strengthen monitoring of potential health risks, according to the report, which said the measure “strengthens its disease surveillance and public-health preparedness measures.”

Health declaration forms usually ask travellers for contact details, the countries they have visited or passed through, any symptoms such as fever, and any contact with sick people. The information helps port health officers identify travellers who may need screening and allows health authorities to trace contacts if a case is later confirmed.

Ghanaian authorities did not directly link the requirement to the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in parts of Africa, including the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the report said. However, it follows a series of measures introduced as the outbreak has spread.

Uganda and Kenya have confirmed Ebola cases this year, and the DRC outbreak has passed 10,600 confirmed cases, according to WHO. Many West African countries, including Nigeria, have extended health declaration requirements to all international travellers as part of their preparedness.

Builds on earlier measures

Ghana had already introduced enhanced health screening at its international airports. Last week, the Ministry of Health announced 21-day monitoring for travellers arriving from countries with ongoing Ebola transmission, Port Health screening of all arrivals, mandatory disclosure of travel history and a requirement for hotels and conference venues to report guests from affected countries.

Ghana has not recorded any confirmed Ebola case. Nigeria reported an imported case on 20 October; the patient was evacuated to Switzerland, and 62 contacts were identified for follow-up.

The new rule also comes as the GHS restores digital systems after its national health information platforms, including DHIMS2, went offline over an unpaid cloud hosting bill. Online declaration portals depend on reliable digital infrastructure, and travellers may need clear guidance if the portal is slow or unavailable.

Balancing health and travel

WHO advises against travel and trade restrictions in response to the Ebola outbreak, but supports exit and entry screening, health declarations and follow-up of travellers from affected areas. Health declarations allow countries to monitor risks without closing borders.

Their effectiveness depends on honest answers. Travellers who hide symptoms or travel history weaken the system, which is why Ghana has warned that giving false information may lead to public health measures under Ghanaian law.

Digital forms can also speed up processing at airports if they are well designed and linked to port health systems, reducing queues and paper handling.

Data protection is another consideration. Health declaration portals collect personal information, including phone numbers, addresses and travel history, and travellers will expect the data to be stored securely and used only for public health purposes, in line with Ghana’s data protection law.

Accra hosts many regional conferences, business travellers and tourists, and the requirement will affect a large number of arrivals during the busy year-end season, when many Ghanaians abroad return home for the holidays.

The Ghana health declaration form may also help Ghana respond to other threats beyond Ebola. Traveller information can support investigations of yellow fever, mpox, cholera or other imported infections, and Ghana recently contained a yellow fever outbreak after confirming four cases.

What travellers should do

Travellers to Ghana should complete the Ghana health declaration form through the official GHS portal before departure, keep proof of submission and answer questions accurately. Anyone who develops fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, unexplained bleeding or severe weakness after arrival should contact health authorities promptly.

Airlines and travel agents are expected to remind passengers about the requirement at booking and check-in. The GHS did not say how long the requirement will remain in place, but it is likely to be reviewed as the regional outbreak changes.

Ghanaians travelling home are also covered by the requirement, so families expecting relatives for Christmas should remind them to complete the form before departure to avoid delays at check-in or on arrival.

 

 

Why it matters: Accurate traveller information lets Ghana trace contacts quickly if an imported Ebola case appears, without closing its borders.

 

 

Source: Africa Health Report (Korede Abdullah),  November 2026.