Health Minister briefs Parliament on measures to contain Meningitis disease


The Ministry of Health says it is doing all it can to contain the outbreak of the Pneumococcal Meningitis in the country. 

So far, out of the 456 reported cases in nine regions, 85 persons have died of the disease.

 According to the Sector Minister, Alex Segbefia, the Ministry with support from the World Health Organization, WHO and other development partners is taking several actions to prevent further spread of the disease. 

Mr. Segbefia stated this on the floor of Parliament when he appeared before the MPs to brief them on the outbreak and answer other questions relating to his ministry. 

According to the Health Minister Alex Segbefia, climate change associated with severe drought, increased mobility of population and the coming on stream of new strains of organisms are accounting for change in the epidemiology of the Meningitis and the way it is occurring and spreading.
 
He told the MPs that as of 3rdFebruary, 2016 the Country recorded 456 suspected cases with 85 deaths. 

Apart from the Central Region all other regions have recorded the disease with the Bono Ahafo Region with the hardest hit with 288 suspected cases with 50 deaths.
 
Mr. Segbefia said government with support from the WHO and other organization is intensifying its efforts to stop the spread of the disease.

As part of measures to curtail the spread of the disease, the Minister said government has provided additional funding to all ten regions with emphasis on the Brong Ahafo and the three northern regions.

The Minister expressed condolences to families and relatives that lost their dear ones to the disease. 

The MPs were glad that the Ministry is being supported by the WHO and other partners to contain the disease but asked the Ministry to do more education to prevent the spread of the Meningitis.
  
Meanwhile, the Health Ministry is unable to use 30 out of the 200 ambulances it has imported into the country as the vehicles do not meet the specifications of the ministry. 
Due to the develop, the distribution of the buses has been halted. 

The Minister was responding to a question on when the Atebubu-Amantin District Hospital will be provided with an ambulance. 

He said a team of experts will leave the country this month to the Ambulance manufacturing company to inspect the rest of the ambulances before they are shipped into the country.


GBC