The Ghana Health Service on the 29th of October 2021 notified the public of an outbreak of Yellow Fever in some districts in the Savannah Region.
Following the receipt of initial laboratory test results from both the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research and the National Public Health Reference Laboratory, a team of experts from the Ghana Health Service, World Health Organisation Country Office, and the Centres for Disease Control was dispatched to the region on the 30th October 2021.
The team was to support the region investigate the outbreak and implement appropriate control measures.
The team engaged the Regional Coordinating Council, the Municipal and District Assemblies and other stakeholders such as the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission. Multiple locations including several hamlets as well as health facilities in the two districts were visited by the team.
There were also assessments of the risk of Yellow Fever transmission based on the population of the vector responsible for transmitting yellow fever,
- i.e the aedes mosquito.
Following the findings of the team, the following immediate actions have been undertaken:
- Strengthening of the management of severe and critical cases- a team of infectious disease experts from the National Case Management Team trained nurses, doctors and pharmacists on the management of severe and critical cases.
- Dispatch of 50,300 doses of Yellow Fever vaccines from Ghana Health Service Headquarters with support from the Ghana Air Force to the Regional Health Directorate for onward distribution to the selected districts for vaccination.
- Targeted vaccination of selected communities for Yellow Fever in the affected districts.
- As of 15th November 2021, over 43,615 persons have been vaccinated in the Savannah Region as part of this intervention.
- Following the report of cases in Savannah Region, other cases have been reported in Wa East District of the Upper West Region and reactive vaccination has also been initiated.
- In total, 25 deaths have been reported from both Savannah and Upper West Regions and 18 are on admission.
The Ghana Health Service will continue with efforts aimed at improving outcomes for persons who are unfortunately affected while continuing with the vaccination drive to improve the immunity of the population against Yellow Fever.
The Service together with the Ministry of Health will continue to engage partners such as the WHO and CDC to ensure this outbreak is brought under full control.
DR. PATRICK KUMA-ABOAGYE
DIRECTOR-GENERAL
