A total of 23 suspected cases of meningitis with four deaths were reported in the Upper West Region as at Sunday February 9.
Three districts, namely, Nadowli, Nandom, Jirapa, and Wa, were in an alert phase during the week. Two more new districts (Wa West and Sissala East) reported cases during the week, which brings the number of districts reporting suspected cases to eight (8).
Cumulatively, a total of 75 suspected cases and 14 deaths have now been reported in the region from week one to six .
This brings the case fatality to 18.7%. Of the suspected cases, 15 have been confirmed as Streptococcus Pneumoniae and one of the cases confirmed as both Streptococcus Pneumoniae and Neiserria meningitis spp .
According to the Ghana Health Service in its situational report, the region was joined by the national technical team to conduct supportive visits to the hotspot districts.
During the visit, it was revealed that all the ten cases that died did not have valid health insurance cover, suggesting that they may have reported late for care due to cost considerations.
Meningitis, is a severe infection of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, which poses a significant public health challenge globally that usually occurs during the dry seasons in prone areas.
Cerebrospinal meningitis (CSM) remains a public health burden in Ghana that causes up to 10% mortality in confirmed cases annually.
The Northern part of the country falls within the meningitis belt placing it at high risk of contracting the infection. The general public is encouraged to report early to health facilities for early treatment when ill.
