Meningitis Outbreak: Expert urges public to drink more water

0
36

By
Odoom Prince Linford, GNA

Assin Fosu (C/R),
Feb. 26, GNA – Dr. Godfred Kwabena Sarpong, the Central Regional Director of
Public Health has advised the public to drink more water, avoid congested areas
and keep proper personal hygiene to save them from being infected with
Celebro-Spinal Meningitis.

He said the spread
of the disease was by direct contact including; respiratory droplets from nose
and throat of infected persons.

The Assin South
District of the Central Region has recorded seven cases of meningitis with two
deaths in the last seven days with four of the cases from Nyankomasi Ahenkro
Senior High School while three others were from different vicinities.

Dr. Sarpong gave the
advice after the Member of Parliament for Assin South Constituency, Mr. John
Ntim Fordjour donated some medical supplies to the Assin South District Health
Directorate to aid the fight against the recent outbreak of the disease in the
District.

Explaining, he said,
Meningitis was caused by a bacterial or virus that inflame the protective
membranes covering the brain and the spinal cord with signs and symptoms
including sudden onset of severe headache, fever, vomiting, neck pains, neck
stiffness and photophobia.

Dr. Sarpong assured
that the situation was under control as the District Health Directorate has
reactivated its Public Health Emergency Committee and placed all health workers
on the alert.

The Directorate had
also embarked on vigorous sensitization programmes in communities, schools,
churches, lorry stations, markets and the media to raise awareness on the
nature and symptoms of the disease to promote early reporting.

He called on all
surrounding districts including, Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese, Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa,
Mfantseman, Twifo-Attimokwa, Twifo-Hemang Lower Denkyira and
Ajumako-Eyan-Essiam to educate the public especially school children on the
disease.

“Meningitis
kills, it can kill within a day or two if you don’t seek health care early- so
we want to avoid these deaths,” he cautioned.

The donation, Mr
Ntim Fordjour said, was in line with his continuous contribution towards the
delivery of quality healthcare in the Assin South District.

He therefore assured
the Assin South Health Directorate of his total commitment towards providing a
sufficient support.

Mr. Francis Amoako
Mensah, the Assistant Headmaster of Nyankomasi Ahenkro SHS thanked the MP for
the support of employing the services of nurses from school of Public Health,
Korle Bu Teaching Hospital to help fight the disease in the school.

He urged parents who
have their wards in the School to remain calm and asked those whose children
were home to send them back to school because the situation was under control.

GNA