Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has indicated that the Meningitis situation in the Upper West Region is under control, urging concerted efforts of stakeholders to arrest the menace.
He said while the government and health-sector stakeholders put in stringent efforts to contain the situation, members of the communities needed to play their part by reporting early to the health facilities when they developed Meningitis symptoms for early detection, management, and treatment.
The Minister stated that no death had been recorded within the last week, saying, “I am excited that the situation is under control.”
Mr Akandoh said this in Wa during a working visit to the region to ascertain the Meningitis situation.
He was accompanied by the Acting Director General of the Ghana Health Service, Professor Dr. Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, and some staff of his Ministry and the Ghana Health Service.
The region had so far recorded 94 suspected cases of Meningitis from eight districts and municipalities, 20 confirmed cases, and 14 deaths, with the Nadowl-Kaleo District and Nandom Municipality being the epicentres of the disease.
Mr Akandoh assured the continuous commitment of the government to fighting the menace and that a rapid response team had been deployed to the region to support the health systems, including staff training on the disease’s management.
He observed that financial constraints contributed to delayed reporting to the facility with Meningitis symptoms – stiffness of the neck, coughing, and sneezing, among others.
He said as part of efforts to arrest the situation, the government announced free treatment of people in the affected districts with active health insurance cards and showing those symptoms.
The minister also presented boxes of antibiotics to the Nadowli-Kaleo Health Directorate for Meningitis Treatment and Management.
He interacted with health staff at the Regional and Nadowli-Kaleo District Health Directorates, and the Nadowli District Hospital as well as health personnel at the Upper West Regional Hospital and the Nadowli District Hospital.
The Minister acknowledged the sacrificial services of the health staff and appealed to them to give “their all” to the fight against Meningitis, saying, “If we all put our heads together we can create a strong health system in the country.”
“We will continue to do our best to encourage you (health staff) to have a smooth running of the facilities to be able to contain the situation. What is very important is that the number of deaths is drastically reducing,” he explained.
Mr Akandoh cautioned the health staff against negative attitudes towards patients at the facilities, urging those culpable to desist from that act to avoid being punished.
The team also visited the Queen of Peace Senior High School in Nadowli where Meningitis had been recorded to interact with the school management on preventing and helping to control the disease.
GNA