The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Ghana Health Service, has launched a four-day Cholera Vaccination Campaign to curb the spread of the disease and sensitise the public to maintain environmental and personal hygiene.
The house-to-house vaccination exercise, from February 14 -17, seeks to ensure the vaccination of at-risk populations against the disease to stop the increasing number of cholera cases in the country.
Children aged one year and above, as well as adults, qualify to take the oral vaccine to ensure their protection.
The cholera outbreak, which hit Ghana in October 2024, has spread to five regions; Greater Accra, Central, Western, Eastern, and Ashanti.
Data from the latest Cholera Situational Report (SITREP) reveals that 5,527 suspected cholera cases have, so far, been recorded in the five regions with a Case Fatality Rate of 1.2 per cent.
Mr Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, the Minister of Health, who launched the campaign at Mamprobi in the Ablekuma South Constituency in Accra, said the outbreak had been attributed to poor hygiene practices and sanitation problems and urged the public to adopt good practices to curb the transmission.
He said: “Cholera is a water and sanitation problem. It is clearly cleanliness. And therefore, if we don’t tackle it from that angle, we will continue to be at the receiving end.”
”So, with the greatest of respect, let us endeavor to keep our environment clean. That is the only way we can prevent this particular disease,” he added.
Mr Akandoh assured of the Ministry’s collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government to undertake appropriate measures to curb the cholera outbreak.
He advised the public to, however, look out for symptoms of the disease, which include frequent diarrhea, vomiting, and dehydration, along with abdominal cramps, fever, headache, fatigue, dry mouth and throat, and decreased urine output.
“We in the Ministry of Health have dedicated ourselves to containing the disease. All the test kits and medications are available to treat. But then, if you also don’t report on time, that’s when we begin to record the deaths,” he stated.
Professor Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, the Acting Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, said the vaccine was not to replace other preventive measures and urged the public to go back to the hand hygiene practice.
He commended healthcare professionals for their sacrifices and commitment to treating patients at the expense of their lives.
Dr Frank Lule, the World Health Organisation (WHO) Country Representative, commended the Health Minister on his appointment and assured him of the Organisation’s commitment to finding permanent solutions to “chase cholera out.”
Present at the event were Mr Alfred Oko Vanderpuije, the Member of Parliament for Ablekuma South, queenmothers, and district health directors.
GNA
