NADMO organises workshop on H1N1

A day’s workshop on prevention and control of the (HINI) influenza 2009 has been organised in Accra for about 100 directors of education and heads of educational institutions in the Greater Accra Region.
The programme was organised by the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) with support from the UN Office of the Commission for Humanitarian Assistance (OCHA) with facilitators from the Ghana Health Service (GHS).
Some of the topics treated were: Update on the pandemic influenza, H1N1 in Ghana, what is pandemic influenza in H1N1, mode of transmission, incubation period, signs and symptoms, treatment and preventive measures.
Others were: Practical hand washing with soap under running water, guidelines for schools and also advise for schools as to how to control and prevent the disease.
The influenza which first broke out in California, USA in April 2009, spread to Ghana on August 5, 2009 and has currently infected more than 700 people mostly in the Greater Accra Region. No death has so far been recorded.
Symptoms of the influenza include fever and cough, sore throat, catarrh, body aches, headache, and in some cases vomiting and diarrhoea. Complications include, pneumonia and difficulty in breathing. Death may occur if severe complications takes place.
In his remarks, the National Co-ordinator of NADMO, Mr Kofi Portuphy said it was important school authorities and parents took the issue of the H1N1 influenza seriously since it could be deadly.
He pointed out that his organisation had within the past few months organised series of educational programmes for many educational institutions and pledged that the programmes would continue.
Presenting a paper, the Director of Accra Metro Health Director, Dr John B.Y. Yabana warned that the pandemic influenza was highly contagious, adding that it mostly affected one’s breathing.
He explained that the disease mostly spread from one person to another through droplets released during coughing or sneezing as in any flu.
He stated that the Greater Accra Region was leading with the number of recorded cases now reaching 628, with the Accra metropolitan area recording about 400 cases.
Dr Yabana mentioned people who were at risk of developing H1N1-related complications included children below five years, adult at age 65 and above, pregnant women, mentally retarded persons, persons suffering from chronic diseases such as diabetes, kidney and liver disorders and those with cancers and weak immune system.
A representative of the OCHA in Accra, Ms Mercy Manyala stated that it was important for schools to put in place interventions to mitigate the effects of disasters, should they occur.
She also said the organisation would continue to support Ghana to prevent and control the influenza and other disasters.
The National Co-ordinator of School Health Education Programme (SHEP) of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Mrs Ellen Mensah called for similar training programmes to be held in other regions of the country.
She also appealed to the participants to transfer the knowledge to their colleagues to ensure that many educational institutions benefited from the training programme.
The Chairman for the event, Mr Victor Mante of the GES expressed the hope that participants would take the workshop seriously and ensure that it benefited the schools in which they worked.