Western Regional Health Directorate tasked to re-strategise efforts to curb Mpox outbreak

Dr Franklin Asiedu-Bekoe, the Director of Public Health, Ghana Health Service (GHS), has tasked the Western Regional Health Directorate to re-strategise its efforts to ascertain the driving force behind the spike in Mpox cases in the region.

According to him, despite improved efforts to curb the situation, the region was currently the hot spot for the disease as half of the cases recorded across the country were from the region.

Dr Asiedu-Bekoe mentioned this when the Deputy Minister of Health, and World Health Organisation (WHO) Country Representative to Ghana, among other officials visited the Western Regional Health Directorate, in Sekondi.

The data from health officials shows that the Western Region has 15 new confirmed cases and cumulative confirmed cases of 224 from 13 districts.

It was revealed that three people were admitted, 31 on home care and 190 recoveries with zero deaths.

Dr Asiedu-Bekoe: “… As we speak about half of the cases in the country are from Western Region, so obviously this place is the epicenter, and we must do things differently because you are doing now is not achieving purpose.”

He, therefore, tasked the health officials to move beyond current interventions and devise new strategies to help end the spread of the Mpox disease in the region.

Dr Fiona Braka, the WHO Country Representative to Ghana, said the working visit was to delve deeper to understand the causes and drivers of transmission, and determine how to intensify response to end the outbreak.

She said to be able to eradicate the outbreak, public health officials and other relevant stakeholders should collaborate and understand the cause of the spread and respond with appropriate interventions.

Meanwhile, Dr Braka stated that Ghana would soon receive vaccinations as an added intervention to help combat the spread of the disease.

Dr Grace Ayensu-Danquah, the Deputy Minister for Health, commended the health directorate for their efforts so far in helping to contain the spread of the outbreak, but asked them to do more to achieve the desired outcomes.

Source: GNA

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