With the number of cases reaching 173 and the death toll reaching 16, the Upper West Region is dealing with a worsening meningitis outbreak.
As they attempt to stop the disease’s spread, health officials are on high alert. In the last week, there were 38 suspected cases and four new confirmed cases, according to the Upper West Regional Health Directorate’s most recent situational report.
Jirapa, Nandom, Wa Municipal, and Wa West, the districts most impacted, have all surpassed their alert criteria. Along with Neisseria meningitidis and Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae has been determined by officials to be the predominant strain.
With 43.8% of the deaths, the age group most affected is 11 to 20 years old.
Health officials have responded by stepping up surveillance and providing national agencies with situational reports on a daily and weekly basis. Clinicians, surveillance officers, lab workers, and health promotion officers are among the 221 employees who have received outbreak management training.
While polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests have confirmed 29 positive cases out of 150 cerebrospinal fluid samples examined, gram staining is being performed in hospitals and polyclinics throughout the region.
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Hospitals have been equipped with ceftriaxone for prompt antibiotic therapy in an effort to enhance case management. Referring severe cases to higher-level hospitals and giving suspected meningitis patients IV ceftriaxone prior to transfer are recommendations for peripheral health facilities.
Authorities have also ramped up community engagement through radio discussions and public health education, urging early symptom reporting. The Ghana Health Service has reiterated that meningitis treatment remains free, per the directive of its Director-General.
Despite these efforts, several challenges persist. Delayed healthcare-seeking behavior has led to late case detection and poor outcomes. Additionally, co-infections with malaria have complicated early diagnosis and treatment.
Meanwhile, high demand for vaccines has hampered reactive vaccination campaigns, as limited availability continues to be a major hurdle in the fight against the outbreak.
