Ghana records 30 cases of Meningitis with 14 deaths

A recent meningitis outbreak in Ghana has raised concerns among health officials and the general public. According to reports, 30 cases of meningitis have been recorded in the Upper West Region, resulting in 14 deaths.

The Concern Health Education Project (CHEP), a non-governmental organization, has issued health communication directives to its volunteers to support affected communities in seeking early medical attention.

CHEP's Chief Executive Officer, Mr Isaac Ampomah, in a statement, emphasized the importance of prompt medical attention, citing symptoms such as headache, fever, neck stiffness, and neck pains as common indicators of meningitis.

Mr. Ampomah stressed that it was critical for affected communities and households to seek early medical attention and go through the necessary protocols and checkups when symptoms of meningitis are suspected or emerge.

Bacterial meningitis remains a significant cause of outbreaks in Ghana, with streptococcus, Neisseria, and meningococcal being the primary culprits.

The Upper West Region, particularly the Nadowli Kaleo District and Nandom Municipality, has been hardest hit, with the outbreak spreading across six districts.

CHEP has also appealed to the Diseases Surveillance Unit of the Ghana Health Service, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Ministry of Health to intensify their efforts in combating the outbreak.

The organization has also urged civil society organizations and non-governmental organizations to integrate meningitis prevention programmes, symptom identification, and periodic health check-ups into their activities among the communities affected to ensure the outbreak is minimized and symptoms are detected early enough.

He also called for the upscaling of the ongoing campaigns to sustain community education, prevention, and treatment care, and support the effort for the outbreak.

Mr Ampomah explained that whilst doing so, it is incumbent on the newly appointed representatives of the new government to the health ministry to prioritize measures to deal with the outbreak.

He stressed the importance of vaccination in preventing meningitis, noting that "vaccines save lives."

He called for the speedy deployment of health workers and the release of necessary logistics and funds to support the health sector's efforts in combating the outbreak.

“We as CHEP members urge all stakeholders in the health sector to join efforts with the government to advocate for the needed logistics and funds to be released on time to the health sector and its supporting agencies to help in meningitis prevention.

“We must ensure the outbreak is curtailed to avoid spreading to other communities. Vaccines save lives; the time to take stock of the vaccine supply chain is now. Indeed, vaccines work. It is also encouraging that other systems of health continue to increase their surveillance readiness,” Mr Ampomah noted.

As the situation continues to unfold, it is essential for communities to remain vigilant and report any suspected cases of meningitis to the authorities promptly.

The CHEP belongs to and is a member of its partners, such as the Confederation of Meningitis Organizations (CoMO), a worldwide network of people and groups who are driven by a shared purpose to defeat meningitis and the Meningitis Research Foundation (CoMO-MRF).