GHS issues health alert after recording first meningitis case

The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has issued a health alert to all its Bud­get Management Centres (BMCs) across the country following the confirmation of one case of meningitis in one of the districts in the Greater Accra Region.

According to the service, all BMCs were to undertake clinician sensitisation, put in place Infec­tion Prevention and Control mea­sures at all points of care, activate Health Education on Meningitis at all points of care, ensure that appropriate logistics were in place to diagnose and manage cases.

They are also to undertake contact tracing, follow up and chemoprophylaxis for all contacts of confirmed cases and monitor the alert and epidemic thresholds to promptly detect epidemics and respond appropriately to ensure that all cases were detected and managed promptly.

A statement issued and signed by the Greater Accra Regional Director of the service, Dr (Mrs) Akosua Agyeiwaa Owusu-Sar­pong explained that meningitis was an inflammation of the me­ninges, the covering of the brain and spinal cord and most often caused by infection (viral, fungal or bacterial).

Throwing more light on the disease, it said Bacterial Meningi­tis was caused by several bac­terial pathogens, however, that of Neisseria meningitis (Nm), Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilusin fluenzae type B represented the triad causing over 80per cent of all cases all bacteri­al meningitis.

“There have been seasonal reports of meningitis in Ghana, usually during the dry periods of October to March. During these dry periods with relative low humidity and abundance of dust, individuals become suscep­tible to meningitis infection,” the statement said.

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