The number was part of the 174 students who could not take part in the vaccination exercise in December 2017, when the general vaccination was done following a detection of the virus.

[contextly_sidebar id=”nsvLMXDrDDSIxu8tu4TQlI0F0Wvsp6vn”]Over 80 percent of the 2,810 student population, as well as teaching and non-teaching staff of the school and journalists, were vaccinated in December 2017 in the wake of the suspected outbreak of the disease at the school.

Speaking to Citi News, the Asokore Mampong Municipal Health Director, Ofori Amoah Justice, said the number of students who turned up for the exercise was encouraging.

He also encouraged other students who have not been vaccinated to ensure that they receive their injections.

“There were some students who were not vaccinated on the 21st to 22^nd December, so the health authorities and the school agreed on a date that today [Monday], that we will get all those who were not vaccinated against the H1N1. Actually, we were supposed to have vaccinated 174 students, but only 114 turned up, which to me is encouraging. We keep encouraging that the students come to school. When they come they should also make themselves available that they were not vaccinated in the previous and this current vaccination sessions so that together we will fight against the diseases, even though we have declared the epidemic to be over. But prevention is better than cure. We don’t want any episode of any diseases outbreak again.”

Four deaths were recorded at the school back in April 2017 from a suspected meningitis outbreak. But fourothers died in November, and the suspicion was that, they may have died from the H1N1 virus, after samples from some hospitalized students tested positive for the virus.

Respiratory samples sent to the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research also indicated that there was an outbreak of an acute respiratory infection which the Health Ministry has since attributed as the cause of some of the deaths.

A private company was recently contracted by the Ministry of Education to carry out a fumigation exercise at the school following the suspected swine flu outbreak.

Most of the students left the school for their various homes, for fear of contracting the infection without taking the vaccines.

Speaking to Citi News after the latest vaccination exercise, Asokore Mampong Municipal Health Director, Ofori Amoah Justice, said the exercise will continue until the total student population is covered.

“The exercise is good, but coincidentally the students are having games, which did not allow them to come as expected, but we envisage that by close of week all those we didn’t get we will mob them up, and make sure we have the total population in KUMACA vaccinated, which means that we have about 90 to 99% of the population vaccinated against the H1N1 disease.”

He further pleaded with parents, students and the school authorities to report to the closest health facility any symptom of the infection for medical attention.

“I will use this opportunity to also inform parents and caretakers that we are in the meningitis season, and so we should be aware of any unusual happenings. Atypical example is headache, fever, neck pains, when you see any of these signs, please do report immediately to any nearby health facility and any necessary action that needs to be done will be done.”

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By: Ann-Shirley Ziwu/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The newsletter, which was signed by the headmaster of the school, D. Tetteh Kwao, said the move was aimed at preventing meningitis and other public health-related diseases.

Although government is strictly against the payment of extra fees by students particularly due to the implementation of the Free SHS programme, the headmaster noted that the decision had been approved by the Ghana Education Service.

The letter, dated December 20, 2017, said, “the approval has been given by Ghana Education Service for the students to make payment in respect of meningitis and public health-related disease prevention as discussed at our PTA meetings in the second term of the year.”

“Meningitis and Public Health related disease prevention GH¢75.00….The meningitis menace is fast spreading among schools in the country. Recently, it has taken lives of students in Kumasi Academy and it is moving Southwards,” it said.

Most Senior High Schools in the country have been on high alert following the deaths of students in various schools across the country from meningitis.

Although the Ghana Health Service has said that the deaths cannot be described as an outbreak but isolated cases, the death toll is 6, leaving some parents in fear.

Meningitis scare in Ghana

A student of Damongo Senior High School in the West Gonja District of the Northern Region, three weeks ago died of non-communicable meningitis. Another student from Koforidua Technical School, also died from the disease.

Three deaths were recorded in three Senior High Schools in the Upper East Region, and another at Asamankese SHS in the Eastern Region.

It must be noted that no meningitis-related death has occured at Kumasi Academy as stated by authorities at Manya Krobo SHS. In the case of Kumasi Academy, the four deaths have been linked to the H1N1 Influenza.

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Indications are that, students in the school may have contracted the virus at the time of the President’s visit to the school on Saturday, December 2.

[contextly_sidebar id=”4ERqInBKlJWv7MHRe7D8ufgmRKjCdLA1″]The GMA, in a statement said: “We condemn the manner in which the life of the President of the Republic, H.E. Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo and other citizens, were endangered by their visit to the school without the necessary measures being instituted.

It stressed that “due diligence should be done at all times including consultations with all needed professionals in subsequent events of this nature to forestall any future occurrence.”

Possible negligence from KUMACA

At least two students had died before December 2, before it emerged that the deaths may have been caused by the H1N1 pandemic strain of Influenza, also known as swine flu.

The virus was however confirmed in other students who were hospitalized after the testing of samples at the Noguchi Memorial Centre.

There has been some suggestion of negligence on the part of the Kumasi Academy leadership, with a bereaved family threatening a lawsuit after accusing the school of brushing the illnesses under the carpet because of its 60th-anniversary celebrations.

The bereaved family said the authorities failed to take proper care of students who fell sick, but rather concentrated on activities to mark the anniversary.

Health officials in the Ashanti Region have since said they have contained the spread of the swine flu.

Emergency preparedness

The Association expressed further concern with the country’s emergency preparedness, and noted that “the inadequate supply of personal protective equipment and other medical logistics needs to be improved.”

Of concern to the GMA is also the public engagement on the various outbreaks, which it said must adhere to protocols so as to avoid fueling panic.

“Politicians and the media should be circumspect in the handling of technical issues, and allow professionals to, as much as possible, handle such matters. The communication of conflicting positions during such emergencies fuels panic and unnecessary anxiety in the public and this hampers scientific work.”

Infectious disease centres needed in northern, southern zones – GMA

As the death count of students in senior high schools nationwide rises to at least eight, with many being hospitalized, the Ghana Medical Association has called for the setting up of two infectious disease centres.

In its first comments on the escalating health concerns in the senior high schools, the Association also called for better links between schools and health facilities.

“We reiterate our previous call to the government for the setting up of at least 2 national infectious disease centres – one in the southern sector, and the other in the northern sector to facilitate prompt diagnosis, service delivery, research and teaching.”

“The linkage of the school health system to specified facilities must be strengthened, the statement added.

SHS deaths

Aside from the suspected outbreak of swine flu at Kumasi Academy in the Ashanti Region where four students died, a death from meningitis was recorded at the Koforidua Secondary Technical School in the Eastern Region.

Another meningitis death was noted at the Damango Senior Hich School in the Northern Region from meningitis.

The latest death has been recorded at the Bawku Secondary Technical School, also from meningitis.

A final year student of the Kpone Community Senior High School in the Kpone-Katamanso District of the Greater Accra Region, has also been reported dead but the cause is unconfirmed.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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Health officials have assured that the swine flu, also known as the H1N1 2009, had been contained after four student deaths.

[contextly_sidebar id=”zqajISONZLKtxqTJhVlvMds38HDGNzAa”]But speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show, he said guidelines on how to manage diseases, especially the contagious ones, are urgently needed.

“From my point of view, I don’t think we should relax because for such conditions. They are contagious so once somebody is exposed, the likelihood of it spreading is high,” Dr. Dzradosi said.

“As a nation, right from the beginning, we need to push this out to the whole country and activate protocols that will ensure that if anybody shows up anywhere with symptoms, they can be managed no matter where you are in the country.”

Student deaths

Aside from the Kumasi Academy, a student of Koforidua Secondary Technical School died from a meningitis infection over the weekend.

This is the latest of several meningitis-related deaths in the region, where about 87 cases have been recorded in 2017 with nine deaths.

A student of Damongo Senior High School in the Northern Region has also died from meningitis, whilst 12 others are currently on admission at the Damongo District Hospital.

Emergency protocols

Elaborating further on what he called national protocols, Dr. Dzradosi said they are essentially concerned guidelines for managing the spread of major diseases at varying levels that are developed by public health physicians and adopted nationwide.

“National protocols basically mean something that comes from the top which will be developed by our public health physicians or pharmacists on how these conditions will be contained nationwide. I heard about somebody going to three facilities and there was nobody there to take care of them. This shouldn’t happen because the more they move around, if they truly have it, they are spreading it,” he explained.

Role of sensitization

He further recounted how the United States of America’s Centre for Disease Control responded to the H1N1 threat in 2009 with public education.

“They put out a lot of health education programmes for the people that took care of them, and depending on the kind of strain you have, the CDC will develop a vaccine to contain it… They also prepared focused education materials. For example, the clinics had something, the hospitals had something, the pharmacies had something and that is the way I think Ghana should go.”

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The pandemic strain of influenza type A, H1N1 2009 also known as Swine Flu was detected in some students of the school and is believed to be related to the deaths of four students.

The exercise, which began on Sunday morning, comprises the general and viral fumigation of the school.

The fumigation will be followed by an intensive clean-up exercise of all buildings and the entire environment of the school on Tuesday.

The exercise covered all eight dormitories in the school, 45 classrooms the science laboratory, the dining and assembly halls, the kitchen, lavatories and the sick bay of the school.

Most of the students have left the school for their various homes, leaving about 45 students at present in the school.

The contractor in charge of the exercise and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of OSCAPPA ventures, Oscar Osei Appau told Citi News that his outfit will ensure the exercise will be effective since the team is committed to fumigating every corner of the school.

“I believe that with this particular problem, every Ghanaian is concerned. Even though we do normal fumigation, viral fumigation, but for this particular one, in fact, it has included a number of deaths so every parent and anyone who is more concerned about the school knows the danger about this problem,” he said.

“I believe that by the time we finish, we might have catered for whichever virus that was detected to be the cause of the problem in the school. So we believe that after the work, our chemicals will work to perfection and normal schooling will continue.”

He also indicated that the general fumigation will cater for insects such as bedbugs and cockroaches while the viral fumigation will also cater for virus and bacteria.

Mr Osei Appau said although the chemicals used for the exercise are dangerous, the fumigated areas will be congenial for habitation after a period of two hours.

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By: Hafiz Tijani/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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Speaking on The Big Issue, Mr. Agyarko lamented that, the country’s attitude to the emergency was largely reactive, and stressed that the country needs “to focus on preparedness going forward.”

[contextly_sidebar id=”1jldELgn62Ty6tAvCy70NH3mrHB10Psu”]“This Kumasi Academy incident is just the tip of an iceberg. What we need to be asking ourselves as a people is, what is the state of our emergency preparedness?” he wondered.

“Our health budget; if you take away salaries and compensation, our health budget is nothing to write home about. So we cant keep something aside for anything? We are incapable of having a reserve in case of an emergency” he noted.

These concerns extend to other sections of society, as Mr. Agyarko expressed fears that, “if there is an earthquake like we hear in some places in this country, will we survive? Is our building code such that the buildings we are putting up, will they withstand tremors?”

The Ayawaso West Wuogon MP was speaking in response to the detection of the pandemic influenza type A, H1N1 2009, also known as Swine Flu, which is suspected to have led to the deaths of four students and infected at least a dozen others.

Antiviral agents are being administered to students and staff of the school, and the government is hoping to get a consignment of vaccines from the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The MP, who once headed the Food and Drugs Authority, and is a pharmacist by training, noted that the government should have a plan in place for some of these health emergencies.

“We live in a tropical country. These viral haemorrhagic diseases are endemic… they are here with us just by virtue of where we live and the temperatures we live in. But because we have managed ourselves well, we have not built robust structures and institutions that will confront the challenges that face us.”

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmoniline.com/Ghana

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This was announced by Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, who added that the bills of hospitalised students will also be covered by the government.

Speaking during a meeting with the school’s authorities and the bereaved families, he said, “President Nana Akufo-Addo said I should tell the affected families the government will cater for all their funeral expenses and hospital expenses. The government will take up those costs.”

He added that “the President said we should give every family an initial amount of GHc 5,000… then we’ll take it from there.”

The government is working with the World Health Organisation (WHO) to provide influenza vaccines for the students and staff of the school.

Health officials are also making use of antiviral agents to keep the situation under control.

Dr. Bawumia continued to allay fears of more deaths in the school, assuring that vaccines will soon arrive to be administered to all students.

He also pleaded with the parents who were present to admonish all students who had left the school to return for the vaccines.

The Vice President reminded the public that the virus was treatable adding that some medication for treatment was already in the school “and more would be coming on the way.”

“So there is so much effort going on at the moment but the reports I am getting is that it has been contained right now but we still need to be very vigilant,” Dr. Bawumia added.

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By: Lorreta Timah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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Addressing Parliament on Friday, the Health Minister, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, said efforts are already underway in this regard while disease surveillance measures are being strengthened.

[contextly_sidebar id=”R3vugQ6oTN7WtB2CMcNGGibPN29tYmN7″]“Mr. Speaker going forward, the ministries of Health and Education, the Ghana Health Service and the Ghana Education Service have recommended, and we are embarking upon that, that students should continue to remain [on the school’s premises] to enable final conclusion and response actions,” the Minister said.

Initially, the Kumasi Academy was set to close down today [Friday] until it became clearer the health crisis in the school was brought on the pandemic strain of influenza type A, H1N1 2009 also known as Swine Flu.

The government is thus looking for support from the World Health Organisation (WHO) to provide influenza vaccines for the students and staff.

The health crisis at the school has claimed four lives and hospitalized at least 32.

However, the outright cause of death of the four students of the school and the hospitalization of 32 has yet to be fully confirmed.

Mr. Agyemang-Manu added on the floor of Parliament that the government was going to rely on antiviral agents.

“We have procured already and we are in the process of procuring antiviral agents for case management. So far that is what has been used and it looks like it has succeeded in containing and treating the disease.”

“Aside from these, steps are also being taken to enhance school health at Kumasi Academy and there will be the strict adherence to infection prevention and control measures along with intensified sensitisation and public education,” Mr. Agyemang-Manu added.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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In a statement on his Facebook page, the Vice President expressed the government’s “heartfelt sympathies and condolences to the families, teachers, students and friends of Kumasi Academy Senior High School who have been affected by the H1N1 virus.”

[contextly_sidebar id=”4qtHMC41XPGOprIGu2DuWJjQeX673rkv”]“My prayers are with the school and the bereaved families in these difficult moments. I will be visiting the school and the bereaved families today by the grace of God,’ the Veep added.

Aside from the four recent deaths, 32 students have also been hospitalised.

Some of the throat samples from students sent to the Noguchi Memorial Institute from the Kumasi Academy tested positive for the pandemic strain of influenza type A, H1N1 2009 also known as Swine Flu.

Respiratory samples sent to the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research also indicated that there was an outbreak of an acute respiratory infection with severe presentations.

No definite cause of the student deaths has as yet been declared.

As health professionals continue to unravel the exact nature of the disease that has devastated the school, Dr. Bawumia urged the public not to panic over fears of a swine flu outbreak.

“I know that parents and other schools are getting nervous about the possibility of further outbreak of swine flu in their respective schools. I will like to assure the public of Government’s resolve to continue to review and strengthen measures to prevent the spread of H1N1 flu around the country and keep our schools safe.”

Find below the full statement from the Vice President

On behalf of the President, the Government and people of Ghana, I wish to express our heartfelt sympathies and condolences to the families, teachers, students and friends of Kumasi Academy Senior High School who have been affected by the H1N1 virus.

My heart goes out to the families of the 4 promising students who have lost their life through the outbreak of the swine flu. May the souls of the departed students rest in perfect peace. I wish those admitted in hospitals speedy recovery.

I know that parents and other schools are getting nervous about the possibility of further outbreak of swine flu in their respective schools. I will like to assure the public of Government’s resolve to continue to review and strengthen measures to prevent the spread of H1N1 flu around the country and keep our schools safe.

I am very grateful for the health care professionals and education staff who have worked tirelessly to contain the virus and prevent further outbreak.

My prayers are with the school and the bereaved families in these difficult moments. I will be visiting the school and the bereaved families today by the grace of God.

May God bless us all.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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According to the Director of Public Health at GHS, Dr. Badu Sarkodie, despite tests by the Noguchi Memorial Institute indicating that the ailments at the school were caused by Influenza type A, it would be premature to rule out other potential causes as well.

[contextly_sidebar id=”6ErpjnSj41VCNj4wC0H3JjLW7IKgzIHC”]Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Friday, Dr. Badu Sarkodie said that some of the symptoms which had been noticed in the students on admission could indicate the presence of a number of conditions, including Influenza and Meningitis, which had earlier been ruled out.

He added that further tests needed to be carried out on the samples before a definitive cause of death can be determined.

“If somebody should die unfortunately, there are specific changes in the normal anatomy that makes you think that those are the changes that led to the deaths. The bleeding could be Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) which you can also have in the flu and in Meningitis. What are the changes in the body internally which the physical examination may not pick? With the blood samples that were taken to the lab, they should all complement and make the story complete,” he said.

“For now, we have enough information to say that it is the flu that is causing the outbreak. We have one condition in mind but it could be more. As scientists what we say is that let’s study As it happened the other time, we confirmed Meningitis. Now if it happens to be something else or more than one issue, you need to take a detailed assessment.”

Swine flu?

The Health Minister, Kwaku Agyeman Manu announced on Thursday that, out of 19 samples sent to the Noguchi Memorial Institute from Kumasi Academy 12 tested positive for influenza type A.

According to the Minister, reports on further tests were received confirming Influenza type-A H1N1 2009 [Otherwise known as Swine Flu], pandemic strain.

Officials from the Ghana Health Service had previously ruled meningitis out in the recent deaths and noted that a bacterial infection was likely.

The whole student population have been administered with antibiotics as part of a prophylaxis.

Of the 32 cases on admission 27 had signs of fever, headaches, joint and body pains, coughs abnormal chest signs and auscultation.

The Health Minister also suggested that some of the deaths may have been caused by an outbreak of acute respiratory infections.

Based on findings on respiratory samples sent to the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Mr. Agyemang-Manu said there was “an outbreak of an acute respiratory infection with severe presentations and some resulting in death.”

But the Noguchi Memorial Institute’s Director, Professor Kwabena M. Bosompem, said that the research institute is yet to take delivery of autopsy samples from the deceased students.

Speaking to Citi News‘ Caleb Kudah on whether the causes of death at the school had been identified, Prof. Bosompem said: “that I cant say because that is pathology.”

“Some autopsy samples have been collected and are being sent to Noguchi to start investigations. So unless we investigate that and know exactly what is the cause of death, it is not good to speculate.” Prof. Bosompem added.

What does the WHO say about Influenza?

There are three types of seasonal influenza viruses, types A, B, and C, but only influenza type A viruses are known to have caused pandemics.

Placed under the umbrella of seasonal influenza, the World Health Organisation notes that this virus is characterized by a sudden onset of fever, cough, headaches, muscle and joint pain, severe malaise, sore throat and a runny nose.

Most people are said to recover from the fever and other symptoms within a week without requiring medical attention but influenza can cause severe illness or death in people deemed high risk.

Pregnant women, children aged between six to 59 months, the elderly, individuals with specific chronic medical conditions such as HIV/AIDS, asthma, and chronic heart or lung diseases, and health-care workers have the highest risk of contracting the virus, according to WHO.

Vaccination is said to be the most effective way to prevent the disease, even when circulating viruses may not exactly match the vaccine viruses.

It should be noted that the outright cause of death of the four students of the school and the hospitalization of 32 has yet to be fully confirmed.

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By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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