Following the recent discovery of Cerebro- Spinal Meningitis (CSM) in some parts of the Upper West region, the Concern Health Education Project (CHEP), a health policy advocacy group is urging government and other stakeholders in the health sector to up their efforts in addressing the outbreak and make Ghana a Meningitis free nation.
Reports available from the Ghana Health Service (GHS) indicate that the country has recorded 30 meningitis cases with 10 deaths in the northern part of Ghana, specifically the Upper West region.
The Ghana Health Service and the Ministry of Health through its dedicated front line health workers are on the ground helping with the right communication for communities to report symptoms of meningitis. Reports further indicate that the disease is spreading across six districts with the highest incidence in the Nadowli Kaleo District and Nandom Municipality.
The strain is a severe illness common in the meningitis belt. Predominantly, meningitis has its outbreak root, usually from some parts of the northern region and the northern territories of Ghana. This is mainly due to the level of heat waves owing to the climate variability.
Symptoms such as headache, fever, neck stiffness, and neck pains are common in detecting meningitis. Bacterial meningitis has remained the major cause of outbreaks in Ghana.
As a health policy advocacy group working for a healthier Ghana with emphasis on Meningitis prevention, Isaac Ampomah, Executive Director of CHEP disclosed that the organization had deployed a team of volunteers to the outbreak communities, issuing communications and public health education in the communities and households to ensure that people seek early medical checkups when symptoms of meningitis is suspected or emerge.
CHEP urged the Diseases Surveillance Unit of the Ghana Health Service, and the Ministry of Health to remain resolute in their efforts and in their ongoing campaigns to sustain community education, prevention and treatment, as well as care and support for affected persons.
“Whilst doing so, it is incumbent on the new appointed representatives of the new government to the Health Ministry to prioritize the outbreak, whilst supervising the speedy deployment of health workers so as to curtail the outbreak – it is time and again necessary for all CSOs and NGOs in the northern territories to integrate meningitis prevention programs, symptoms identification programs and periodic health check -ups among the communities of the affected districts so as to ensure the outbreak is minimized and symptoms are detected early enough.”
CHEP further urged all stakeholders in the health sector to join efforts with government to advocate for the provision of needed logistics and vaccines to the health sector and its supporting agencies to help in the fight against the disease.
“We must ensure the outbreak is curtailed to prevent a spread to other communities – Let’s ensure that other systems of Health continues to increase their surveillance readiness in the fight against Meningitis.
By Leo Nelson || Ghananewsonline.com.gh