By Erica Apeatua Addo, GNA
Tarkwa (W/R), Oct 2, GNA – The Ghana Health Service (GHS) in collaboration with the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipal Health Directorate has targeted to vaccinate more than 6,000 people against the Mpox disease.
The vaccine would be administered to high-risk groups, mostly in areas within the municipality where the disease is highly prevalent.
Mrs Wilhemina Tiwaah Duah Morttey, Municipal Director of Health Services, Tarkwa Nsuaem, at a press briefing in Tarkwa said, ” We are focusing on immunocompromised patients and people who work in close association with others”.
She added that with the vaccination campaign commencing soon, coupled with the ongoing preventive measures, the directorate would successfully control the disease.
Mrs Morttey said they have learned about “The Catch Them All campaign” and the goal was to maximize the use of the vaccine by identifying every single individual who had the infection in the municipality.
She, therefore, urged all community members to be watchdogs, and entreated anyone with the infection to report to the nearest health facility for follow up treatment and contact tracing.
“Although we have outlined symptoms of Mpox, we are seeing many cases with atypical presentation, where the patient normally has rashes around their genital area.
In some cases, the rash may not appear on the face, skin, or hand, but only in the genital areas, and these have been confirmed as Mpox cases” the director explained
She further called on the public not to hesitate to visit a health facility for evaluation and confirmation, if they notice these rashes at the said area.
Mrs Morttey advised the public to make handwashing with soap under running water a regular habit, and cautioned against sharing personal belongings such as clothing, towel, sponge, handkerchief, and boots.
Currently, the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipal Health Directorate in the Western Region has recorded 75 confirmed cases of Mpox.
Mpox is a viral disease transmitted through skin-to-skin contact with infected persons, animals, or contaminated surface.
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared it a public health emergency of international concern in August 2024
GNA
Edited by Justina Paaga/Kenneth Odeng Adade