Director-General of Ghana Health Service, Dr Anthony Nsiah-Asare, has allayed fears of a potential outbreak meningitis in the country.
He says robust disease surveillance system for daily consistent monitoring has brought the situation under control.
Dr Nsiah-Asare acknowledges Ghana has recorded Meningococcal meningitis types C and W bacterial infection in some regions but insists there is no danger.
Until recently, Ghana was noted for the Meningococcal Type A strain, endemic in the Northern Belt, a condition which has been managed by routine vaccination exercises.
However, sporadic outbreaks in Ashanti, Bono Ahafo, Central Eastern and Northern Regions have raised fears.
A number of meningitis-related fatalities have occurred in some Senior High Schools nationwide in the last few months.
Seven of the deaths were recorded at Kumasi Academy (KUMACA) last April.
Dr Nsiah-Asare says Ghana has one of the most resilient systems for early disease detection and control.
"If you want to say meningitis is epidemic, then in a population of 100,000, get about 100 people getting it at the same time and some of them losing their lives," he said.
He says the figures are too low to warrant mass vaccination.
"What you see is either type C or W so it is the type W that we have not reached an epidemic threshold for us to do mass vaccination," he said.
He adds: "We are not praying that we see that surge in may be one of the districts. No that's not what we are hoping for. But the sporadic ones, sporadic ones that are coming, we will continue treating it; we will continue managing it so that nobody dies."
That notwithstanding, the Ghana Health Service says it is on alert to prevent an epidemic.
"Our surveillance is showing us that we haven't gone above any unusual thing so we are following it every day; every week, every hour. So what we are interested in is where there's congregation of people especially in the secondary schools; where there's a congregation of people especially in our prisons," he revealed.
Meanwhile, District Health Information Management System under which community health personnel collate data daily nationwide has been activated.
Latest Stories
-
13th Ghana Information Technology and Telecom Awards launched
3 mins -
Comedy of electioneering campaign policy: NDC’s 24-hour economy tricks
10 mins -
We will remain vigilant in our oversight operations of all financial institutions – Governor
11 mins -
Ghana’s economic recovery has been strong and steady – Finance Minister
13 mins -
Government completes 50 premix fuel automation machines at landing sites – Fisheries Minister
21 mins -
FBNBank changes its name to FirstBank Ghana
28 mins -
Akwaboah Jnr ties the knot
36 mins -
Women’s FA Cup semis: Army Ladies face FC Epiphany; Police Ladies up against Supreme Ladies
2 hours -
Police haul in Kwadaso MP, EC officials in probe of Ejisu by-election ‘bribery’ case
3 hours -
Ghana’s press freedom ranking: Are we actually improving?
4 hours -
Reflections: 50 Lessons at 50
4 hours -
NCCE briefs Council of State on civic plans for 2024
5 hours -
Ecobank Group reports Profit Before Tax of $581m, on net revenue of $2.1bn for 2023
5 hours -
More businesses are working to move out of Ghana – Food and Beverages Association
5 hours -
Empowering Ghana’s Environmental Narrative: Celebrating World Press Freedom Day 2024
5 hours