In the Regional Director’s words, “The Region never recorded any epidemic-prone disease; the Region did not record meningitis, cholera, yellow fever”.

The Regional Director made this known in his address on Tuesday at Cape Coast, at the Central Regional Health Sector 2017 Annual Performance Review Meeting.

Dr. Nang-Beifubah attributed the zero record for cholera to the intensive sanitation and open defecation-free campaigns launchedin 2017 by the various Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, and monitored by the office of the Regional Minister, Kwamena Duncan.

On assumption  of office, the Regional Minister announced the tackling of sanitation issues as one of his four core areas.

In some meeting with journalists in 2017, the central Regional Minister outlined how he had tasked the various Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives in the region to spearhead the region’s quest for better sanitation.

The plan included a quarterly and yearly ranking of the various districts in the region in sanitation, education, response to time and proficiency.

While the region recorded at least two separate cholera outbreaks in 2016 alone, with 156 cases as at November 2016, the Region also recorded 591 cholera cases in 2015.

The region was neither spared in the 2014 national record of 17,000 cholera cases with 150 deaths all over the country.

Dr. Nang-Beifubah noted that in 2017, “the proportion of morbidity and mortality due to malaria continued to decline while supervised delivery increased from 57.9 percent to 61.9 percent, and institutional maternal mortality ratio reduced from 158.6 per hundred thousand live births in 2016 to 130.8 per hundred thousand live births.”

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By: Joseph Ackon Mensah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The outbreak began on Sept. 28 but appeared to die down by Oct. 20, with fewer than five patients reported weekly until Nov. 5. The number of cases then surged, with 136 in the week beginning Nov. 26, the World Health Organization reported.

Presidential spokesman Amos Chanda said in a statement late on Friday that the president believed emergency measures were needed to contain the waterborne disease, including the closure of some markets.

The outbreak was initially confined to densely populated parts of Lusaka where poor sanitation can aid its transmission, but the disease had now spread to low density areas, Chanda said.

“The president is deeply concerned at rampaging advance of the epidemic and has therefore called on the defense forces to join other stakeholders … and thoroughly clean up Lusaka,” Chanda said.

The outbreak was initially linked to contaminated water from shallow wells but investigations revealed that the spread was being propagated through contaminated food, he said.

“In the last two weeks, three traders from Soweto market have died from cholera and 18 are currently under admission in cholera treatment centers,” Chanda said, referring to Zambia’s largest market.

Chanda said all markets, bars, restaurants and other public places that pose a risk of further transmission of cholera would be closed until they met hygiene standards.

Cholera is spread by ingesting fecal matter and causes acute watery diarrhea. It can be treated with oral rehydration solution but the disease spreads rapidly and can kill within hours if not treated.

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Source: Reuters

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The disease, which is spread through contaminated water, kills about 100,000 people every year.

It is the first time governments, the World Health Organization, aid agencies and donors have made such a pledge.

It comes as Yemen continues to fight one of the worst cholera outbreaks on record.

Cholera has been spreading in the war-torn country due to deteriorating hygiene and sanitation conditions and disruptions to the water supply.

More than 770,000 people have been infected with the disease, which is easily treatable with the right medical equipment, and 2,000 have died. Many of the victims are children.

These huge outbreaks tend to grab the headlines, but there are also frequent outbreaks in so-called cholera “hotspots”.

Disease of the poor

Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholera.

It can spread quickly and widely in cramped, dirty conditions.

The infection is cheap to treat with rehydration salts, and easy to avoid altogether if people have access to clean water and decent toilet facilities.

But about two billion people globally lack access to clean water and are potentially at risk of cholera, according to the World Health Organization.

The UN health agency says weak health systems, and outbreaks not being detected early enough also contribute to the rapid spread of outbreaks.

Dr Dominique Legros, who heads up the WHO’s cholera programme, told the BBC: “We can’t keep seeing these huge outbreaks every year.

“We have the tools at hand to prevent them, so let’s use them.

“If you provide water and sanitation, it’s enough to stop the transmission of cholera.

“We’ve seen that today in countries like Senegal, where we have been able to stop transmission.”

Cholera is a disease of the poor, and building basic infrastructure for communities costs money.

However, there is no expectation of any major pledges of cash at Tuesday’s meeting.

‘Badge of shame’

The charity Wateraid estimates it would cost $40 (£30) per person to provide water, sanitation and hygiene.

Its chief executive, Tim Wainwright, says that is “surprisingly affordable”.

“Looking around the world, the map of cholera outbreaks is essentially the same as a map of poverty and marginalisation.

“The fact that this preventable disease still sickens 2.9 million people every year and kills 95,000 people is a global badge of shame.”

The oral cholera vaccine is another important part of the fight against this enduring disease.

It only offers protection for up to 3 years. But in situations where outbreaks are highly likely, it can save thousands of lives.

Some 900,000 doses of the vaccine are currently being sent to refugee camps in Bangladesh where almost half a million Rohingya Muslim refugees are gathering in squalid conditions after fleeing violence in neighbouring Myanmar, also known as Burma.

“The vaccine alone doesn’t solve the problem, the water and sanitation is a more long-term solution,” said Dr Seth Berkley, chief executive of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisations.

“In the interim, we need to work to ensure we are doing both.”

Northern Europe and the US managed to eliminate cholera 150 years ago.

Tuesday’s pledge aims to, finally, achieve that goal for some of the world’s poorest people.

Estimated global annual cholera cases:

Source: Johns Hopkins University

• India: 675,188 cases, 20,266 deaths
• Ethiopia: 275.221 cases, 10,458 deaths
• Nigeria: 220,397 cases, 8,375 deaths
• Haiti: 210,589 cases, 2,584 deaths

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Source: BBC

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Each day there are more than 5,000 new cases of the waterborne disease, which causes acute diarrhoea and dehydration, in the country where the health system has collapsed after more than two years of war, it said.

“The total number of suspected cholera cases in Yemen this year hit the half a million mark on Sunday, and nearly 2,000 people have died since the outbreak began to spread rapidly at the end of April,” the WHO said in a statement on Monday.

“The spread of cholera has slowed significantly in some areas compared to peak levels but the disease is still spreading fast in more recently affected districts, which are recording large numbers of cases,” it said, reporting a total of 503,484 cases.

The disease, spread by ingestion of food or water tainted with human faeces, can kill within hours if untreated. It has been largely eradicated in developed countries equipped with sanitation systems and water treatment.

But Yemen’s devastating civil war, pitting a Saudi-led military coalition against the Iran-backed armed Houthi group, and economic collapse has made it extremely difficult to deal with catastrophes such as cholera and mass hunger.

Millions of Yemenis remain cut off from clean water and waste collection has ceased in major cities, the WHO added.

Yemen’s 30,000 critical health workers have not been paid salaries in nearly a year and critical medicines are lacking, the WHO said.

“These doctors and nurses are the backbone of the health response – without them we can do nothing in Yemen. They must be paid their wages so that they can continue to save lives,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.

WHO and partners are working around the clock to set up cholera treatment clinics, rehabilitate health facilities, deliver medical supplies and support the national effort, the United Nations agency said.

More than 99 percent of patients who reach health facilities survive but children and the elderly are most vulnerable.

“The response is working in some places. We can tell you that surveillance confirms a decline in suspected cases over the past four weeks in some of the most affected governorates,” WHO spokeswoman Fadela Chaib told a news briefing last Friday.

“Most notably Sanaa city, Hajja and Amran are consistent with his decline. But in many other districts, cases and deaths persist and are on the rise.”

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Source: Reuters

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The service urged the various directorates to enhance surveillance of diarrhoea disease with weekly reporting of all cases of acute diarrhoea.

It also directed the directorates to update emergency preparedness and response plans on cholera and other diarrhoea.

All regions in 2014 confirmed cholera outbreaks, while one hundred and thirty districts representing 60.2% were affected.

There have been subsequent pockets of outbreaks with most recent in 2016, and early part of 2017, affecting Ashanti and Greater Accra regions and the Cape Coast Metropolis of Central Region.

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By: citifmonline.com/Ghana

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As part of the efforts, the Society has distributed 100 hand washing buckets, soap and detergents to communities, schools, public toilets and other public places to encourage hand washing practices.

The Region in the last quarter of 2016 recorded high cases of cholera with majority of the cases from the Cape Coast Metropolis.

[contextly_sidebar id=”gZjemh9FjRNU6rKQOVb0AgAfoquMEEhR”]This, influenced an emergency collaboration between the Society, Ghana Health Service, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and other stakeholders to bring the outbreak under control.

The collaboration proved effective and the Region is hoping to further strengthen it to intensify public education on environmental, personal and food hygiene and infections prevention.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency on the sidelines of a consultation forum to access the effectiveness of the collaboration between the agencies, Regional Director of Public Health, Dr Kwaku Karikari indicated that there had not been any case of cholera in the Region since January 4.

He said the continuous increase in cholera cases and the attendant deaths were unacceptable and required urgent steps to contain the spread.

Dr Kaikari said among other things that poor sanitation had been cited as one of the major causes of the increasing incidence of cholera in the Region.

He therefore called on the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to strictly enforce the existing sanitation bye-laws prosecute people and institutions that flout them.

Dr Karikari urged the public to maintain personal hygiene by cultivating the habit of hand washing to prevent the spread of diseases.

Mr Kofi Addo, Secretary General, Ghana Red Cross Society said though hand washing was very important in the prevention of the spread of cholera, many did not get access to simple hand washing tools, hence the distribution of the hand washing items to the communities.

He expressed dissatisfaction about the unhygienic surroundings in the various communities across the country and admonished Ghanaians to take sanitation issues seriously.

Mr Addo said individuals and stakeholders must play their roles to ensure that the communities were clean and free from the outbreak of diseases.

He admitted that Government alone could not provide the needed logistics for the red cross to effectively perform its functions and appealed to other corporate institutions to support the Red Cross Society.

Mr John Ekow Aidoo, Regional Manager, Ghana Red Cross Society said research had shown that hand washing accounted for about 42 per cent in the prevention of cholera.

He urged the public to always wash their hands before meals, before the preparation of food, after using the toilet, before feeding a child and after cleaning a child.

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Source: GNA

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According to him,his concerns are due to the high possibility of most river bodies, streams, wells and boreholes being contaminated due to the water crisis that has hit parts of the region.

He therefore entreated people who rely and fetch water from these sources to ensure that they boil the water well before using it.

Dr Afreh observed that though the Regional Health Directorate had put in place measures to control a possible outbreak, there is the need for the general public to also promote personal and environmental cleanliness.

Residents in the Sunyani Municipality and parts of Brong-Ahafo have been experiencing severe water crisis.

For months now, residents have been relying on washing bays for water supply.

Almost all the standpipes and water connections to various households are not running.

Some of the most affected areas are Sunyani, Nsoatre, Abesim, Tanoso, Yamfo, Susuanso, Techire among others.

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Source: GNA

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According to the service, no death has been recorded.

The Ghana Health Service has however attributed the surge in Cholera cases in the region to improper handling of meats and food stuff bought from the markets.

Dr. Kweku Eni Karikari, the Deputy Central Regional Health Director told Citi News, the Health directorate is collaborating with the various assemblies to address the situation.

“[Those affected] are a little more than 500. It started around 24^th October so since that time we started recorded cases. Cases were reported in Cape Coast and a few districts around.”

“We have now given the assemblies some guidelines so they put in place some measures.”

He also called on the public be caution of the foods they consume.

5000 Cholera cases recorded in Accra in 2015

About 5000 cases of Cholera and 45 deaths were reported in the Greater Accra Region alone in 2014.

The figure was said to be very high as compared to previous years.

‘About Cholera’

Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the cholera bacterium. It is reported that about 1.3 to 4.0 million cases of cholera are recorded ever year.

‘Symptoms of Cholera’

Common symptoms of Cholera includes, diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting and dehydration.

‘How to prevent Cholera’

1. Drink and use safe water

2. Wash your hands often with soap and safe water

3. Use proper toilet facilities or bury your faeces; do not defecate in any water body.

4. Cook your foods well; keep it covered, eat it hot

5. Clean your hands before you handle fruits and vegetables

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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This was made known by the Central Regional Director of Health Services, Dr Samuel Kwashie.

He said the cases were from the Cape Coast metropolis predominantly, particularly from the Abura and Pedu suburbs.

[contextly_sidebar id=”3xDZ4OIQQC39ZswgtG2Zm662J2D2zQK8″]At a meeting with the Central Regional Coordinating Council to give a brief on the state of the outbreak last Thursday, Dr Kwashie said the health authorities and partners had intensified education on the disease in churches, schools, mosques and at funeral grounds, in an effort to contain its spread.

He commended health authorities in the region and some partners for the absence of fatalities since the outbreak of the disease.

The Central Region is the only region to have recorded an outbreak of cholera this year.

Break down of cases

Out of the reported cases, 261 are from the Cape Coast metropolis, while five are from the Abura Asebu-Kwamankese District. The Asikuma Odoben Brakwa District and Komenda Edina Eguafo Abrem Municipality have reported one case each.

Dr Kwashie, however, intimated that almost all the cases reported outside of Cape Coast were linked to the metropolis in a way. “Victims in almost all of the cases reported outside of Cape Coast passed through the metropolis and might have taken in food or something in the area,” he said.

He urged residents in the region to be mindful of what they bought and ate.

Management of Outbreak

Dr Kwashie said six committees had been established to contain the situation. The committees, he said, included that on logistics, water, sanitation and hygiene, surveillance, case management communication and coordination.

He commended the Ministry of Health, the Regional Coordinating Council and all the partners in health for their support.

Statistics Since 2011

Last year, 18 cases of cholera were reported in the region. The region had 3,846 cases of the disease during a national outbreak in 2014, with 60 deaths. It was the worse outbreak in a decade. There were no cases of the disease in 2013. However, in 2012, there were 108 cases with 12 deaths and 588 cases in 2011 with 11 deaths.

Meningitis
Dr Kwashie said the Central Region had not recorded any cases of meningitis this year.

He said the government was increasingly making health services accessible to all, adding that there were currently 235 Community-based Health Planning and services (CHPS) compounds in the region.

The Central Regional Minister, Mr Kweku Ricketts Hagan, said the region was relatively peaceful and commended the security agencies and traditional authorities for their role in maintaining peace in the region.

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Source: Graphic Online

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Mr. Afriyie Asubonteng, the Disease Control Officer, said although there had not been any reported case, they would not take any chances.

[contextly_sidebar id=”0bF6qH7t7Gd9TfjTc2TwW3sVnfGgWVhv”]He told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Kumasi that the health directorate had put in place clinical measures and put together the necessary logistics to deal with any emergency.

The assurance comes amid the reported outbreak of the acute diarrhoeal disease in Cape Coast, with a total of 172 cases having been recorded as of November 02.

Mr. Asubonteng spoke of an community outreach programme adopted by the directorate to help the people to maintain good personal hygiene and environmental sanitation.

This was being done by a team of community health nurses, disease control officers and environmental health officers.

He added that they were encouraging people to eat their food hot, saying, “taking hot foods could kill the bacteria in the food and it is therefore vital that food is eaten hot to prevent an infection.”

Mr. Asubonteng said the various health facilities in the districts have been alerted to run a Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) for cholera in all diarrhea cases presented to them facilities.

He indicated that the facilities had also been equipped with adequate drugs, ward beds and other logistics.

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Source: GNA

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