No cholera case recorded in Kumasi for two years

Kumasi, April 15, GNA - For the past two years, Kumasi has not recorded any cholera case. This may be due to the fact that people have come to understand the need for good sanitation in the metropolis by keeping their surroundings clean.

Dr Joseph Oduro, the Metropolitan Health Director made this known in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Kumasi.

The director said though he believed there were a number of such cases which were not reported, it was gratifying that people are able to control the disease based on the first aid treatments they receive from health facilities at the initial stages of the disease.

He urged members of the public not to be complacent over the news but as well continue to keep not only their surroundings clean but also the whole city clean to bring back the once earned name "the Garden City of West Africa".

Dr Oduro advised all and sundry in the society to open up for education on other diseases such as malaria, cold rheumatism, hypertension, skin diseases, ulcers, diarrhoea, home or occupational injuries, intestinal worms and others since they equally claim lives like cholera.

He said Kumasi recorded about 155,775 cases and 130,000 cases of malaria in 2003 and 2004 representing 49.9 per cent and 38.4 per cent of all recorded diseases.

This was followed by common colds with 11.2 per cent and 7.6 per cent in 2003 and 2004 respectively.

Rheumatism and other joint pains followed at a far pace recording 5.7 per cent in the year 2003 and 4.8 per cent in 2004.

In 2003 and 2004, hypertension also recorded 5.7 per cent and 3.8 per cent with skin diseases and ulcers recording 4.1 per cent and 3.1 per cent.

The last on the record were home and occupational injuries, intestinal worms and severe malaria, which recorded 2.5 and 2.8 per cent, 2.0 per cent and 2.3 per cent, 1.9 and 2.0 per cent as well as 1.6 and 1.5 per cent respectively in 2003 and 2004.