By Godfred A. Polkuu
Bolgatanga, May 22, GNA – The Ghana Health Service (GHS) in the Upper East Region has urged residents with symptoms of diarrhoea and vomiting to immediately report to the nearest healthcare facility for early case management to improve survival rate.
The GHS said early visits would reduce risks of complications and mortality, and entreated residents to drink potable water, eat hot foods, wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly before consuming.
It said proper hand washing with soap under running water before handling foods and after visiting the toilet and touching surfaces was critical to prevent any possible spread of the disease.
The GHS, through its Regional Director, Dr Braimah Baba Abubakari, who gave the advice at a stakeholder engagement to whip up public education and awareness on the disease to check any possible outbreak in the Region, noted that there was no reported case of cholera in the Region.
He explained that cholera was an acute diarrheal disease caused by vibro cholerae bacteria, and transmitted through ingesting of contaminated food, water or anything edible through contaminated hands.
The Director said the disease was of public health concern due to its rapid transmission potential and high fatalities, adding that “Cholera can cause severe acute watery diarrhoea, which can be fatal within hours if untreated.”
He further explained that most people infected with vibro cholerae did not develop symptoms but could spread the bacteria through their faeces between one to 10 days, and that symptoms appeared 12 hours to five days after infection.
Dr Braimah said Ghana, in the last quarter of 2024, experienced cholera outbreaks in the Ashanti, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra and Western Regions, which posed significant public health threats with heightened concerns in the country.
“Most people with the disease have mild or moderate symptoms. A minority of patients develop severe acute watery diarrhoea and life-threatening dehydration,” Dr Braimah said.
He indicated that from October 2024, a total of 6,405 suspected cases were reported in the affected Regions, 719 epidemiologically linked probable cases, 561 confirmed cases with 49 deaths.
“In response to the outbreak, the Ghana Health Service conducted reactive Oral Cholera vaccination campaigns in the affected hotspots. All regions including the Upper East, activated emergency response mechanisms, including heightened disease surveillance and public education on cholera prevention.
“Strengthening Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Initiatives: Safe drinking water provision and improved sanitation practices are being promoted to prevent the spread of cholera,” Dr Braimah said.
He called for public cooperation and urged residents to remain calm, vigilant, adhere to public health guidelines, and encouraged them to report any suspected cholera cases, especially people who may travel from any of the affected Regions with diarrhoea and vomiting.
“We call on all stakeholders, including local government authorities, NGOs, and the private sector, to support efforts aimed at preventing and controlling cholera. Together, we can prevent the spread of cholera, protect and improve the health of our communities,” the Director said.
He underscored the critical role of the media in the fight against cholera and appealed to media outlets in the Region to help create awareness and generate demand for early healthcare seeking behaviour for positive outcomes.
Madam Patience Boahen, a Health Promotion Manager at the Health Promotion Division of the GHS in Accra, said cholera could affect any of the non-affected Regions, and that the GHS had initiated measures, including public education to check any surprise outbreak in those Regions.
She said even though the Region had not recorded any case of the disease, it was not immune and encouraged journalists at the briefing to inform members of the public about the disease, noting that cholera was real, but could be prevented with proper hygiene and sanitation practices.
GNA
Edited by Fatima Anafu-Astanga/Christian Akorlie