Snake bite increases in Upper West

Jirapa, April 20, GNA - There has been an unprecedented increase in the number of reported cases of snakebite within two months in the Upper West Region and health authorities had to use 2,000 doses of anti snake serum.

Ministry of Health records show that the region has the highest yearly incidents of snake bites, accounting for one-third of all cases of reported cases of snake bite country-wide.

Dr Erasmus Agongo, the Upper West Regional Director of Health Services, made this known at the People's Assembly in the Jirapa/Lambussie District at Jirapa on Wednesday.

He was reacting to a question on the increasing incidents of snakebites in the district and the availability of anti snake serum. Dr Agongo appealed to people in the region to adopt preventive measures such as clearing around their surroundings and by wearing protective clothing while in the bush or working on their farms. Mr Clement Eledi, the Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, appealed to the people of the district to bury their political differences and to support the Jirapa/ Lambussie District Assembly to initiate and execute development plans.

Mr Moses Dani Baah, the Deputy Minister of Private Sector Development and President's Special Initiative, appealed to the people in the three northern regions to take the mutual health insurance scheme seriously and pay their premiums to get their names registered.