The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, has paid an unannounced visit to the Swedru Municipal Government Hospital to assess the cholera situation in the Agona West Municipality.

The Central Region has recorded within three weeks 412 suspected cases of cholera, 29 confirmed cases and three deaths.

The visit was to enable the Minister to interact with health personnel of Agona West and Effutu Municipalities of the Central Region.

He pledged readiness of the government to help contain the disease.

Addressing the Doctors, Nurses, Administrators, and paramedical staff, Mr Akandoh said President Mahama was fully committed to ensure that health personnel were supported and encouraged to bring the disease under control.

He pointed out that potable water and good sanitation played critical role in combating the disease and urged the residents of the affected Areas to drink potable water and also endeavour to eat hot food while keeping their environment clean.

He said the Ministry of Health would soon roll out a vaccination exercise, especially in Agona West, Effutu, Cape Coast and Awutu Senya-East (Kasoa) as part of the efforts to control the disease.

The Minister charged stakeholders to intensify public education about the vaccination exercise to safeguard public health.

Mr Akandoh commended the health staff at the Swedru Municipal Hospital for the strenuous efforts made to bring the disease which claimed three lives, under control.

He reiterated calls on the residents of the affected communities and those who had not recorded any cases to keep their environment clean.

He cautioned health personnel to desist from lukewarm attitude towards patients, particularly, during emergencies or referrals or face punitive action to maintain efficiency in the health sector.

Dr Frank Lule, Country –Director of World Health Organisation, (WHO), who accompanied the Minister, gave the assurance that everything possible would be done to stem the outbreak.

He urged the people to keep their environment clean, especially those in the coastal areas to ward of the outbreak of cholera.

Dr Julius Abuku, the Medical Superintendent of Swedru Municipal Government Hospital, briefed the Minister and his entourage about the current situation of the outbreak, saying that at the moment only four patients were on admission pending discharge.

Dr Abuku further stated that the hospital which was built in 1950 as health post was expanded to 172 bed capacity but needed urgent expansion to meet the growing population of the Municipality and beyond.

The Medical Superintendent appealed to the Minister to consider improving equipment, accommodation and posting of more doctors to enhance effective services to the people in Agona West and beyond.

The Minister was accompanied by Prof Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, Director-General, Ghana Health Service, Dr Agnes Achiamaa Anane, Acting Regional Director of Health and Dr John Koku Awoonor-Williams, Special Advisor to the Minister of Health.