By Kingsley Mamore
Dambai (O/R) Aug 27, GNA – The Oti Region recorded four confirmed cases of monkey pox during the first half of 2026, with all affected persons successfully treated and fully recovered, Dr Kofi Amo-Kodieh, Oti Regional Director of Health Services has announced.
He said the region also recorded suspected cases of Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM), but subsequent laboratory tests confirmed that the suspected cases were negative.
Dr Amo-Kodieh made the disclosure at the 2026 Mid-Year Performance Review Meeting of the Oti Regional Health Directorate held in Worawora in the Biakoye District.
The meeting brought together health managers and other stakeholders to assess the Directorate’s performance for the first half of the year, identify operational challenges and develop strategies to improve healthcare delivery in the Region.
Dr Amo-Kodieh said the successful management of the Mpox cases underscored the importance of early detection, prompt treatment and effective disease surveillance in preventing the spread of infectious diseases.
He commended health personnel for their vigilance and swift response to suspected and confirmed cases and urged them to sustain surveillance efforts and strengthen collaboration with communities to ensure the early reporting of unusual illnesses.
On the suspected CSM cases, the Regional Director said the negative test results were reassuring but stressed the need for continuous surveillance, given the potentially severe consequences of delayed detection and treatment of the disease.
He called for sustained public education on disease prevention, personal hygiene and the importance of seeking medical attention promptly when symptoms occurred.
Dr Amo-Kodieh said the Directorate would continue to strengthen disease surveillance, case detection, laboratory testing and response mechanisms in collaboration with health facilities and development partners.
He also reiterated the need for adequate resources, logistics and personnel to enable health workers to effectively undertake surveillance, monitoring and supportive supervision, particularly in hard-to-reach communities.
The Regional Director said the Mid-Year Performance Review provided an important platform for evaluating progress, identifying gaps and agreeing on practical measures to improve health outcomes during the second half of the year.
He reaffirmed the Directorate’s commitment to ensuring that residents of the Oti region had access to timely, equitable and quality healthcare services.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah/Lydia Kukua Asamoah