About three hundred thousand (300,000) persons aged one year and above have been earmarked by the Ghana Health Service (GHS) for cholera vaccination exercise within the Greater Accra Region.
The exercise, which will take place in three sub-metros of the region; Ablekuma South, Okaikoi South and Ashiedu Keteke seeks to complement efforts being made to control and contain the cholera outbreak in the country.
It’s a four-day exercise scheduled to start from Friday the 14th of February to Monday the 17th. Since the outbreak of cholera in Ghana, more than six thousand suspected cases have been recorded with over 500 confirmed.
Out of the confirmed cases, the Greater Accra has recorded the highest number with over 200. The Effutu and Agona West districts in the Central Region remain the disease hot spots.
The Greater Accra Region is the latest to hold the exercise, following a successful campaign in both the Western and Central regions.
“We have more than 6000 suspected cases. We have had about 500 confirmed and greater Accra has a bigger percentage of the confirmed cases. The vaccine indeed prevents you from getting infected. Research proves that about 80 percent of people who carry the germs do not show symptoms so there is need to protect yourself,” the Programme Manager for the Expanded Programme on Immunization, Dr. Kwame Amponsah Achianno said on February 13.
He noted the efficacy of the vaccine and its relevance to the control measures against the disease.
“The vaccine is safe. All persons one year and above, except pregnant women are eligible. We didn’t get any resistance in the previous campaigns and that shows that the people understood the risk at hand. We work with the School Health Education Programme coordinators, and then at the higher level, the Directors General, and then the ministers. So, for now, I don’t see any resistance, as you may call it. And again, when people perceive the risk, the response is always different,” he said.
He further charged the media to tackle the issue from the root cause by assisting in educating the people about cleanliness.
‘‘I challenge media…, cholera is a disease of filth. It’s actually faeces…the media should also help. Talk about the causal factors. WASH- Water, Sanitation and Hygiene,” he urged.
“All guardians are encouraged to ensure their children participate in this essential vaccination effort to help curb the ongoing cholera risk in the region, Mr Achianno added.
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