Meningitis kills 6 in Ashanti

Six persons have been confirmed to have died of Pneumococcal and Meningococcal meningitis in the Ashanti region.

Four of the deaths were attributed to Pneumococcal meningitis while the other two deaths resulted from Meningococcal meningitis.

The deaths are among 17 suspected meningitis cases of which nine were confirmed to have meningitis.

The outbreak of a variant of meningitis in the Brong Ahafo, Northern, Volta and Ashanti regions is causing public health concern among residents there.

More than 37 people have so far died from pneumococcal, meningococcal and cerebrospinal meningitis in some parts of the country.

Health officials who have been briefing journalist in the Ashanti regional capital, Kumasi about the outbreak have, however, dismissed suggestions the disease has reached an epidemic stage.

Deputy Health Director in charge of Clinical Care, Fred Adomako-Boateng who addressed journalists at the briefing said the Ministry is on top of the issues and is still putting in place measures to curb the outbreak.

He urged the media to assist in public education campaigns as surveillance is intensified across the affected regions.

Meanwhile, health officials in the Volta Region have appealed to government for vaccines after the region recorded its first case of cerebrospinal meningitis.

Karachi District Health Director Dr. Hilarious Abiwu told journalists, the first case recorded at the Krachi West Hospital is being carefully monitored by health officials who have also intensified education to avoid a spread.

He said the best solution, however, is vaccination which is unfortunately not available.

Government has said it is seeking assistance from the World Health Organisation (WHO) to prevent a further spread of the meningitis disease

.

Health Minister, Alex Segbefia will be visiting the affected regions on Thursday.

#health #Headlinesnews #News #Localnews #news #Latestinghana