A TEAM of public health officials is to visit the Central and Eastern regions to evaluate the H1N1 situation and support the health workers in those regions to contain the spread of the influenza.
The team, which leaves Accra on Thursday, will be led by the Director of Public Health of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Joseph Amankwah, and will spend between four and five days visiting health facilities and interacting with both health workers and the public in the two regions.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic in Accra yesterday, Dr Amankwah said it was important that those two regions whose educational institutions had of late seen increase in cases of the disease were visited, assessed and the needed support provided before schools re-opened, adding that similar visits would be made to the other regions where the disease was present.
After a number of schools in the Greater Accra Region have recorded cases of the influenza, cases were recorded at the Mfantsipim School in Cape Coast and a basic school at Ayipey in the Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa District, both in the Central Region.
Some students of the Okuapemman and Mpraeso senior high schools in the Eastern Region were also infected.
The H1N1 influenza, which spread form other parts of the world to Ghana in August 2009, has currently spread to six of the regions of the country. The Brong Ahafo, Upper East, Upper West and the Volta regions are the four areas where cases of the disease have not been reported.
Throwing more light on the influenza, Dr Amankwah said the number of confirmed cases throughout the country stood at 600 as of Monday, April 12.
He stated that the number was out of 5,000 specimen so far sent to the central laboratory at the Nogochi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) for confirmation.
He observed that the number of confirmed cases notwithstanding, the situation could be described as "under control" because many of the infected persons had been successfully managed while the rest were receiving treatment.
In a related development, the Director of the NMIMR, Dr Alex Nyarko, told the Daily Graphic that the centre was coping with the number of specimen brought there for testing.
He said the only challenge that the personnel faced was to work overtime anytime large volumes of specimen were brought to be worked on.
He said the needed materials such as reagents had so far been made available for effective laboratory work and pointed out that it was important for the centre, which is a World Health Organisation (WHO) accredited laboratory, to be allowed to handle all suspected cases from health facilities to ensure proper diagnosis and treatment.
Dr Nyarko said to avoid drug resistance in the country, all cases must be confirmed at the NMIMR to ensure that those who actually suffered from the H1N1 virus were given the WHO recommended medicine for the treatment.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Managing H1N1 influenza - Education is an important tool
THE H1N1 influenza situation in Ghana is said to be under control because health professionals are effectively offering health care services to contain the situation.
Since the pandemic broke out in the country in August 2009, health professionals have been able to identify the H1N1 virus, embarked on surveillance and also effectively managed all reported cases. These have so far yielded positive results since unlike other countries, Ghana has not recorded any deaths from the influenza.
The Minister of Health, Dr Benjamin Kunbour, said at a recent press conference that all 513 cases which had so far been confirmed had been mild and majority of them successfully managed at homes, adding that no single death had been recorded.
What is important at the moment is to ensure that people follow the simple advise given by health professionals so that we continue to manage the situation since there is no vaccine in the country at the moment. Notable among these precautionary measures are frequent washing with soap or alcohol-based hand cleaners, not exchanging used handkerchiefs from people with flu-like symptoms, as well putting an end to indiscriminate waving of such used handkerchiefs or such materials since droplets which settle on such materials could fall on others and therefore spread the infection.
It is also important for the sick to stay away from other people in order not to infect them. And again, there should be a distance of about one metre between an infected person and others to prevent the spread of the virus which could occur through sneezing or coughing.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic in Accra, the acting Deputy Director of Public Health at the Greater Accra Regional Health Directorate, Dr (Mrs) Vera Opata, said in addition to management of the disease, there had been series of public education to sensitise both health workers and the general public to help contain the disease.
She explained that although there had been an increase in cases in recent times, health workers were on the ground offering the needed care to contain the situation.
She said at the moment, the most important tool to use in curbing the spread of the disease was education, adding that each person should be sensitised to how to protect him or herself from contracting the virus.
The best prevention, according to Dr Opata, was for individuals to observe regular hand-washing with soap, especially after shaking hands with others and before touching the mouth, nose and the eye.
She also pointed out that people should avoid close contact with others suffering from any flu-like symptom or what is referred to as cold or catarrh.
She said the reason was because the disease spread from one person to another through droplets released during coughing or sneezing as in any flu.
According to Dr Opata, it was safer for people who suffered from flu-like symptoms to report immediately to health facilities for early diagnoses and treatment.
The symptoms include fever and cough, sore throat, catarrh, body aches, headache, and in some cases vomiting and diarrhoea.
Complications of the disease include pneumonia and difficulty in breathing. Death may occur if severe complication has taken place.
Dr Opata said the declaration of the World Health Organisation (WHO) that the H1N1 influenza was a pandemic was an indication that the disease was currently a global problem affecting all countries of the world.
She said now that the virus had spread all over the world, it was up to the individual countries to contain its spread as much as practicable and pointed out that the Ghanaian health authorities were taking the necessary measures to contain the influenza.
When asked to comment on surveillance at the country’s entry points, Dr Opata explained that there were measures to test people who arrived at the ports with signs of the flu and added that there was also the indication that the disease had transcended to communities and must, therefore, be tackled from within.
She said there was the likelihood that less people might end up getting the virus now that schools were on break and many of the students who might be infected would stay at home and by this minimise transmission.
She suggested that rooms for social gatherings should be well ventilated and advised that sick people should stay away from crowds or work places to protect others from being infected.
She reiterated the need for people to wash their hands frequently with soap, especially when they got in touch with others or touched objects which were likely to be contaminated.
Dr Opata said sick people should cover their mouths with handkerchief or tissue papers when sneezing or coughing and those used tissue papers should be properly disposed of.
She added that those without handkerchiefs should cover their noses and mouths with their arms when coughing or sneezing.
She stressed that the H1N1 virus, just like all other viruses causing influenza, could live for hours after it had been released from an infected person, adding that it was important for objects likely to carry such viruses to be washed to eliminate them.
Since the pandemic broke out in the country in August 2009, health professionals have been able to identify the H1N1 virus, embarked on surveillance and also effectively managed all reported cases. These have so far yielded positive results since unlike other countries, Ghana has not recorded any deaths from the influenza.
The Minister of Health, Dr Benjamin Kunbour, said at a recent press conference that all 513 cases which had so far been confirmed had been mild and majority of them successfully managed at homes, adding that no single death had been recorded.
What is important at the moment is to ensure that people follow the simple advise given by health professionals so that we continue to manage the situation since there is no vaccine in the country at the moment. Notable among these precautionary measures are frequent washing with soap or alcohol-based hand cleaners, not exchanging used handkerchiefs from people with flu-like symptoms, as well putting an end to indiscriminate waving of such used handkerchiefs or such materials since droplets which settle on such materials could fall on others and therefore spread the infection.
It is also important for the sick to stay away from other people in order not to infect them. And again, there should be a distance of about one metre between an infected person and others to prevent the spread of the virus which could occur through sneezing or coughing.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic in Accra, the acting Deputy Director of Public Health at the Greater Accra Regional Health Directorate, Dr (Mrs) Vera Opata, said in addition to management of the disease, there had been series of public education to sensitise both health workers and the general public to help contain the disease.
She explained that although there had been an increase in cases in recent times, health workers were on the ground offering the needed care to contain the situation.
She said at the moment, the most important tool to use in curbing the spread of the disease was education, adding that each person should be sensitised to how to protect him or herself from contracting the virus.
The best prevention, according to Dr Opata, was for individuals to observe regular hand-washing with soap, especially after shaking hands with others and before touching the mouth, nose and the eye.
She also pointed out that people should avoid close contact with others suffering from any flu-like symptom or what is referred to as cold or catarrh.
She said the reason was because the disease spread from one person to another through droplets released during coughing or sneezing as in any flu.
According to Dr Opata, it was safer for people who suffered from flu-like symptoms to report immediately to health facilities for early diagnoses and treatment.
The symptoms include fever and cough, sore throat, catarrh, body aches, headache, and in some cases vomiting and diarrhoea.
Complications of the disease include pneumonia and difficulty in breathing. Death may occur if severe complication has taken place.
Dr Opata said the declaration of the World Health Organisation (WHO) that the H1N1 influenza was a pandemic was an indication that the disease was currently a global problem affecting all countries of the world.
She said now that the virus had spread all over the world, it was up to the individual countries to contain its spread as much as practicable and pointed out that the Ghanaian health authorities were taking the necessary measures to contain the influenza.
When asked to comment on surveillance at the country’s entry points, Dr Opata explained that there were measures to test people who arrived at the ports with signs of the flu and added that there was also the indication that the disease had transcended to communities and must, therefore, be tackled from within.
She said there was the likelihood that less people might end up getting the virus now that schools were on break and many of the students who might be infected would stay at home and by this minimise transmission.
She suggested that rooms for social gatherings should be well ventilated and advised that sick people should stay away from crowds or work places to protect others from being infected.
She reiterated the need for people to wash their hands frequently with soap, especially when they got in touch with others or touched objects which were likely to be contaminated.
Dr Opata said sick people should cover their mouths with handkerchief or tissue papers when sneezing or coughing and those used tissue papers should be properly disposed of.
She added that those without handkerchiefs should cover their noses and mouths with their arms when coughing or sneezing.
She stressed that the H1N1 virus, just like all other viruses causing influenza, could live for hours after it had been released from an infected person, adding that it was important for objects likely to carry such viruses to be washed to eliminate them.
Monday, April 12, 2010
No panic over H1N1 influenza-Health authorities assure.
Saturday, April 11, 2010
GHANAIANS have been told not to panic over the presence of the H1N1 influenza in country, but need to heed professional advice to prevent its further spread.
At press a conference in Accra yesterday, the Minister of Health, Dr Benjamin Kunbour, said preparation for the deployment of vaccine was underway in accordance with the World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines and called on Ghanaians to take the necessary precautionary measures now that there were no vaccines to protect them.
He said the H1N1 influenza had now spread to all continents and other several countries including Ghana, adding that it was declared “phase 6 pandemic” by the WHO on June 11, 2009.
Considering the harm which the influenza had caused in other countries, Dr Kunbour noted that a National Strategic Plan set up by the health sector at the onset of the outbreak of the disease in August 2009 seemed to have helped to contain the situation to a large extent.
He said with no single death being recorded, all the 513 cases which had so far been confirmed had been mild and majority of them successfully managed at homes.
He attributed the current situation partly to ”Intensification of surveillance (passive and active) for early detection of cases and general monitoring of the situation,” adding that staff in all health facilities were being directed to collect and transport specimen from suspected cases to Noguchi for laboratory confirmation.
He said all regions of the country apart from Brong Ahafo, Upper East, Upper West and the Volta regions had recorded cases of the influenza.
Dr Kunbour said the most important thing to do under the circumstance was for each Ghanaian to cultivate the habit of frequent hand washing with soap and also report immediately to the nearest health facility for treatment if one suffered from any of the symptoms of influenza.
He said the country had in store adequate medicines and stressed that there were supplies at both the regional and district health stores for the treatment of cases.
He maintained that now that there were local transmission unlike in the early stages where infections involved contact with people from outside the country, it had become important for people to seriously take precautionary measures to protect themselves and others from the virus.
He said the National Strategic Plan, which involved various committees, had embarked on public education through the media and also organised seminars, workshops, fro, educational talks, as well as distribution of flyers and posters to the public.
For his part, the Director of Public Health, Dr Joseph Amankwah, said treatment of the disease was free in all public health facilities and encouraged those who presented symptoms of influenza which included fever, headache, bodily pains, shortness of breathe, coughing, sneezing and at times vomiting and diarrhoea to report to their doctors.
He reiterated that the situation was not alarming, since the health authorities were monitoring the situation seriously.
He also added that Ghana was fortunate to have a WHO-accredited laboratory centre at the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) where all cases could be tested.
GHANAIANS have been told not to panic over the presence of the H1N1 influenza in country, but need to heed professional advice to prevent its further spread.
At press a conference in Accra yesterday, the Minister of Health, Dr Benjamin Kunbour, said preparation for the deployment of vaccine was underway in accordance with the World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines and called on Ghanaians to take the necessary precautionary measures now that there were no vaccines to protect them.
He said the H1N1 influenza had now spread to all continents and other several countries including Ghana, adding that it was declared “phase 6 pandemic” by the WHO on June 11, 2009.
Considering the harm which the influenza had caused in other countries, Dr Kunbour noted that a National Strategic Plan set up by the health sector at the onset of the outbreak of the disease in August 2009 seemed to have helped to contain the situation to a large extent.
He said with no single death being recorded, all the 513 cases which had so far been confirmed had been mild and majority of them successfully managed at homes.
He attributed the current situation partly to ”Intensification of surveillance (passive and active) for early detection of cases and general monitoring of the situation,” adding that staff in all health facilities were being directed to collect and transport specimen from suspected cases to Noguchi for laboratory confirmation.
He said all regions of the country apart from Brong Ahafo, Upper East, Upper West and the Volta regions had recorded cases of the influenza.
Dr Kunbour said the most important thing to do under the circumstance was for each Ghanaian to cultivate the habit of frequent hand washing with soap and also report immediately to the nearest health facility for treatment if one suffered from any of the symptoms of influenza.
He said the country had in store adequate medicines and stressed that there were supplies at both the regional and district health stores for the treatment of cases.
He maintained that now that there were local transmission unlike in the early stages where infections involved contact with people from outside the country, it had become important for people to seriously take precautionary measures to protect themselves and others from the virus.
He said the National Strategic Plan, which involved various committees, had embarked on public education through the media and also organised seminars, workshops, fro, educational talks, as well as distribution of flyers and posters to the public.
For his part, the Director of Public Health, Dr Joseph Amankwah, said treatment of the disease was free in all public health facilities and encouraged those who presented symptoms of influenza which included fever, headache, bodily pains, shortness of breathe, coughing, sneezing and at times vomiting and diarrhoea to report to their doctors.
He reiterated that the situation was not alarming, since the health authorities were monitoring the situation seriously.
He also added that Ghana was fortunate to have a WHO-accredited laboratory centre at the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) where all cases could be tested.
Tips to help you avoid H1N1 Influenza
Friday, April 09, 2010
WITH increase in the cases of H1N1 influenza in the country, the public has been advised not to ignore the threat but do well to protect themselves from being infected.
As of Sunday, April 4, 2010, there had been a total of 480 confirmed cases of H1N1 influenza recorded in Ghana. Fortunately, no death has so far been recorded.
A World Health Organisation (WHO) report posted on December 7, 2009 indicated that globally, a total of more than 1. 4 million cases had been recorded, out of which more than 25,000 deaths had occurred.
The H1N1 influenza, commonly refereed to as swine flu, is a disease caused by a virus that affects the respiratory system. It first broke out in April 2009 and has been declared a pandemic by the WHO.
A pandemic, according to the world health body, is a disease that spreads over a whole country or the world.
Ghana started recording cases in August, 2009 and the highest hit is the country’s educational institutions with the Lincoln Community School in Accra being the first to have been affected by the flu in the latter part of the year. Since then, the virus has spread to the Okuapeman Senior High School in the Eastern Region, the Merton Primary School in Accra, the Tema Parents School and also the Achimota Basic School.
At the end of March, 2010, reports indicated that some students at the Mfantsipim School in Cape Coast and Ayipeh L/A Primary and Junior High School in the Asikuma Odoben Brakwa District in the Central Region had also been infected.
To help the public know how to protect themselves from the influenza, officials of the Greater Accra Regional Health Directorate has intensified efforts at sensitising the public through press releases, radio talk shows, public durbars, as well as interacting with pupils and students in schools.
Incidentally, the Greater Accra Region was the first to record the presence of the virus in the country. An official of the regional health directorate told the Daily Graphic that about 163 cases had been confirmed in the region by March 23, 2010.
Accordingly, a statement from the directorate indicated that the country needed to enlighten the populace on the disease and what residents should do to prevent its spread.
Symptoms of the influenza, according to health workers include fever, cough or sore throat, body aches, headache, chills, fatigue and in some cases, vomiting and diarrhoea.
Complications of the disease include pneumonia and difficulty in breathing. Death may occur if severe complication has taken place.
It is also important to know that the disease spread from one person to another through droplets released during coughing or sneezing as in any flu and also people may become infected by touching surfaces or holding objects contaminated with the influenza viruses.
Examples of items which could carry the virus are hands, door handles, handkerchiefs, tissue paper and then touching one’s own mouth, nose or eyes after touching any such contaminated item.
Infected individuals can prevent the spread of the pandemic influenza A H1N1 to others by allowing sick persons to be at home if not on admission and limit contact with others as much as possible; sick people should cover their mouth with handkerchief or tissue paper when sneezing or coughing; tissue paper used should be properly disposed off and handkerchiefs or the other materials used be washed with soap, dried and replaced as often as required.
It is also important to prevent others from using materials used by a sick person for wiping the nose or mouth.
In other not to spread the virus, one should cover the nose and mouth with a tissue or handkerchief when one coughs or sneezes. Tissue papers should be thrown in a trash can after use and handkerchiefs and other materials must be washed with soap and water.
To be on the safer side, individuals should wash their hands often and thoroughly with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective. One should avoid touching one’s eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
To get early treatment, anyone with any flu-like symptoms, should report to the nearest clinic for treatment and advice. After that, the individual should stay away from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
It is significant to try to avoid close contact with sick people and also sick persons should stay at home for seven days after symptoms begin or until he or she has been cleared of all symptoms for 24 hours or whichever is longer. This, according to health workers, is to keep one from infecting others and spreading the virus.
To be our brother’s keeper, we can advise those who are not well to seek medical assistance, seek information from the nearest clinic or hospital and follow directions from health officials.
A person is expected to have the disease when he or she develops fever with cough and or sore throat. Such an individual, according to health experts, should immediately report to the nearest health facility for diagnose and proper treatment. Who knows, you might have deadly influenza and the over-the-counter medicine you bought for the cold the other time might not work this time round.
WITH increase in the cases of H1N1 influenza in the country, the public has been advised not to ignore the threat but do well to protect themselves from being infected.
As of Sunday, April 4, 2010, there had been a total of 480 confirmed cases of H1N1 influenza recorded in Ghana. Fortunately, no death has so far been recorded.
A World Health Organisation (WHO) report posted on December 7, 2009 indicated that globally, a total of more than 1. 4 million cases had been recorded, out of which more than 25,000 deaths had occurred.
The H1N1 influenza, commonly refereed to as swine flu, is a disease caused by a virus that affects the respiratory system. It first broke out in April 2009 and has been declared a pandemic by the WHO.
A pandemic, according to the world health body, is a disease that spreads over a whole country or the world.
Ghana started recording cases in August, 2009 and the highest hit is the country’s educational institutions with the Lincoln Community School in Accra being the first to have been affected by the flu in the latter part of the year. Since then, the virus has spread to the Okuapeman Senior High School in the Eastern Region, the Merton Primary School in Accra, the Tema Parents School and also the Achimota Basic School.
At the end of March, 2010, reports indicated that some students at the Mfantsipim School in Cape Coast and Ayipeh L/A Primary and Junior High School in the Asikuma Odoben Brakwa District in the Central Region had also been infected.
To help the public know how to protect themselves from the influenza, officials of the Greater Accra Regional Health Directorate has intensified efforts at sensitising the public through press releases, radio talk shows, public durbars, as well as interacting with pupils and students in schools.
Incidentally, the Greater Accra Region was the first to record the presence of the virus in the country. An official of the regional health directorate told the Daily Graphic that about 163 cases had been confirmed in the region by March 23, 2010.
Accordingly, a statement from the directorate indicated that the country needed to enlighten the populace on the disease and what residents should do to prevent its spread.
Symptoms of the influenza, according to health workers include fever, cough or sore throat, body aches, headache, chills, fatigue and in some cases, vomiting and diarrhoea.
Complications of the disease include pneumonia and difficulty in breathing. Death may occur if severe complication has taken place.
It is also important to know that the disease spread from one person to another through droplets released during coughing or sneezing as in any flu and also people may become infected by touching surfaces or holding objects contaminated with the influenza viruses.
Examples of items which could carry the virus are hands, door handles, handkerchiefs, tissue paper and then touching one’s own mouth, nose or eyes after touching any such contaminated item.
Infected individuals can prevent the spread of the pandemic influenza A H1N1 to others by allowing sick persons to be at home if not on admission and limit contact with others as much as possible; sick people should cover their mouth with handkerchief or tissue paper when sneezing or coughing; tissue paper used should be properly disposed off and handkerchiefs or the other materials used be washed with soap, dried and replaced as often as required.
It is also important to prevent others from using materials used by a sick person for wiping the nose or mouth.
In other not to spread the virus, one should cover the nose and mouth with a tissue or handkerchief when one coughs or sneezes. Tissue papers should be thrown in a trash can after use and handkerchiefs and other materials must be washed with soap and water.
To be on the safer side, individuals should wash their hands often and thoroughly with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective. One should avoid touching one’s eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
To get early treatment, anyone with any flu-like symptoms, should report to the nearest clinic for treatment and advice. After that, the individual should stay away from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
It is significant to try to avoid close contact with sick people and also sick persons should stay at home for seven days after symptoms begin or until he or she has been cleared of all symptoms for 24 hours or whichever is longer. This, according to health workers, is to keep one from infecting others and spreading the virus.
To be our brother’s keeper, we can advise those who are not well to seek medical assistance, seek information from the nearest clinic or hospital and follow directions from health officials.
A person is expected to have the disease when he or she develops fever with cough and or sore throat. Such an individual, according to health experts, should immediately report to the nearest health facility for diagnose and proper treatment. Who knows, you might have deadly influenza and the over-the-counter medicine you bought for the cold the other time might not work this time round.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
NADMO raises red flag over H1N1 influenza
With more than 480 cases of the deadly H1N1 influenza already recorded in Ghana since August 2009, officials of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) have raised a flag about a possible outbreak of the disease.
In a statement signed by the National Co-ordinator of the NADMO, Mr Kofi Portuphy, NADMO said the threat had been heightened by the sporadic outbreaks in a number of educational institutions in the Greater Accra, Eastern, Northern and Central regions, leading to their closure in the past few weeks.
The organisation has, therefore, cautioned the public to minimise crowding at social events, especially those meant for children.
“The most alarming fact is that minors and children in our society are the most vulnerable group. The recent outbreaks which led to suspension of classes meant that most children from these schools may be incubating the disease without showing any sign or symptoms and therefore could easily infect others,” it stated.
It continued that due to the mode of transmission, crowding at social events, especially for children coming from different schools, would be highly fertile grounds for easy spread of the disease to the family members, friends and the community.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic in Accra yesterday on the issue, the Director of Public Health of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Joseph Amankwah, said it was important for the public to support health workers to contain the spread of the disease by following the necessary advice.
Dr Amankwah said regular hand-washing with soap, especially after shaking hands with others and before touching the mouth, nose and the eye could prevent one from getting the virus.
Another measure, according to the Director, was for people to avoid close contact with others suffering from any flu-like symptom or what is referred to as cold or catarrh.
He said that was because the disease spread from one person to another through droplets released during coughing or sneezing as in any flu.
Dr Amankwah reiterated that people could become infected by touching surfaces or holding objects contaminated with the influenza viruses and touching the afore-mentioned parts of the bodies without first washing their hands.
He also urged people to report to the nearest hospital immediately they suffered from any of the symptoms of the influenza for early detection and treatment.
The symptoms include fever, cough or sore throat, body aches, headache, chills (shivering), and fatigue and in some cases vomiting and diarrhoea.
Complications of the disease include pneumonia and difficulty in breathing. Death may occur if severe complication has taken place.
Dr Amankwah pointed out that infected individuals could prevent the spread of the pandemic influenza to others by staying at home, if not on admission, and also limiting contact with others as much as possible
“Sick people should cover their mouth with handkerchief or tissue paper when sneezing or coughing and tissue papers used should be properly disposed off and handkerchiefs or the other materials used be washed with soap, dried and replaced as often as required,” he stated.
Dr Amankwah stated that handkerchiefs or such materials of sick persons should not be exchanged or used by others.
In a statement signed by the National Co-ordinator of the NADMO, Mr Kofi Portuphy, NADMO said the threat had been heightened by the sporadic outbreaks in a number of educational institutions in the Greater Accra, Eastern, Northern and Central regions, leading to their closure in the past few weeks.
The organisation has, therefore, cautioned the public to minimise crowding at social events, especially those meant for children.
“The most alarming fact is that minors and children in our society are the most vulnerable group. The recent outbreaks which led to suspension of classes meant that most children from these schools may be incubating the disease without showing any sign or symptoms and therefore could easily infect others,” it stated.
It continued that due to the mode of transmission, crowding at social events, especially for children coming from different schools, would be highly fertile grounds for easy spread of the disease to the family members, friends and the community.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic in Accra yesterday on the issue, the Director of Public Health of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Joseph Amankwah, said it was important for the public to support health workers to contain the spread of the disease by following the necessary advice.
Dr Amankwah said regular hand-washing with soap, especially after shaking hands with others and before touching the mouth, nose and the eye could prevent one from getting the virus.
Another measure, according to the Director, was for people to avoid close contact with others suffering from any flu-like symptom or what is referred to as cold or catarrh.
He said that was because the disease spread from one person to another through droplets released during coughing or sneezing as in any flu.
Dr Amankwah reiterated that people could become infected by touching surfaces or holding objects contaminated with the influenza viruses and touching the afore-mentioned parts of the bodies without first washing their hands.
He also urged people to report to the nearest hospital immediately they suffered from any of the symptoms of the influenza for early detection and treatment.
The symptoms include fever, cough or sore throat, body aches, headache, chills (shivering), and fatigue and in some cases vomiting and diarrhoea.
Complications of the disease include pneumonia and difficulty in breathing. Death may occur if severe complication has taken place.
Dr Amankwah pointed out that infected individuals could prevent the spread of the pandemic influenza to others by staying at home, if not on admission, and also limiting contact with others as much as possible
“Sick people should cover their mouth with handkerchief or tissue paper when sneezing or coughing and tissue papers used should be properly disposed off and handkerchiefs or the other materials used be washed with soap, dried and replaced as often as required,” he stated.
Dr Amankwah stated that handkerchiefs or such materials of sick persons should not be exchanged or used by others.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
SWINE FLU-More cases at Mfantsipim, Ayipey (Front Page)
LESS than one week after the initial outbreak of H1N1 influenza was reported at Mfantsipim School in Cape Coast, the number of infections has sharply shot up from 10 to 83.
The number of infections recorded at Ayipey in the Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa District of the Central Region has also increased from two to 40.
The new cases at Mfantsipim and Ayipey bring to 480 the number of infections reported so far nation-wide.
The Director of Public Health at the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Joseph Amankwah, told the Daily Graphic in Accra that as of Sunday, April 4, 2010, 480 cases of the influenza had been recorded nation-wide but no deaths had so far been recorded.
At a press briefing at Mfantsipim School yesterday, the Central Regional Deputy Director of Public Health, Dr J.B. Eliezar, said that the situation was being contained and that there was no cause for alarm.
For his part, the Cape Coast Metropolitan Director of Health, Dr Joseph Nuertey, said the health directorate was in control of the situation at Mfantsipim School.
He said 63 students were screened on Saturday, while 193 were screened on Sunday, and gave the assurance that all the 83 students were responding to treatment.
He called for calm, particularly on the part of parents, saying the situation was now under control and cases were not coming in as they were at the initial stages.
He said, however, that the health authorities were not taking anything for granted but would work to ensure that the situation was improved.
Dr Nuertey said the closure of the school would still not be recommended because that could lead to the spread of the disease.
He said an ambulance was on standby at the school to ensure that any critical case was sent to the Central Regional Hospital.
The Headmaster of the school, Mr Koame Mieza Edjah, appealed to parents not to visit the school for the next two weeks to enable the school and the health authorities to manage the situation.
He assured parents that the staff of the school was working to give students the needed attention and support during the period, adding that parents should bear with the authorities on the decision to keep students on the compound, saying it was in the best interest of all.
Meanwhile, the public has been advised not to ignore the recent increase in H1N1 influenza but do well to protect themselves from being infected with the deadly influenza, officials of the GHS have indicated.
The H1N1 influenza, commonly refereed to as swine flu, is a disease that is caused by a virus that affects the respiratory system. It first broke out in April 2009 and has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
A pandemic, according to the world health body, is a disease that spreads over a whole country or the world.
Ghana started recording cases in August 2009 and the highest hit is the country’s educational institutions, with the Lincoln Community School in Accra being the first to have been hit by the flu in the latter part of the year. Since then, the virus has spread to the Okuapeman Senior High School in the Eastern Region, Merton Primary in Accra, Tema Parents School and Achimota Basic School.
At the end of March 2010 reports, indicated that Mfantsipim School in Cape Coast and Ayipeh L/A Primary and Junior High School in the Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa District of the Central Region had also been affected by the H1N1 influenza.
The number of infections recorded at Ayipey in the Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa District of the Central Region has also increased from two to 40.
The new cases at Mfantsipim and Ayipey bring to 480 the number of infections reported so far nation-wide.
The Director of Public Health at the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Joseph Amankwah, told the Daily Graphic in Accra that as of Sunday, April 4, 2010, 480 cases of the influenza had been recorded nation-wide but no deaths had so far been recorded.
At a press briefing at Mfantsipim School yesterday, the Central Regional Deputy Director of Public Health, Dr J.B. Eliezar, said that the situation was being contained and that there was no cause for alarm.
For his part, the Cape Coast Metropolitan Director of Health, Dr Joseph Nuertey, said the health directorate was in control of the situation at Mfantsipim School.
He said 63 students were screened on Saturday, while 193 were screened on Sunday, and gave the assurance that all the 83 students were responding to treatment.
He called for calm, particularly on the part of parents, saying the situation was now under control and cases were not coming in as they were at the initial stages.
He said, however, that the health authorities were not taking anything for granted but would work to ensure that the situation was improved.
Dr Nuertey said the closure of the school would still not be recommended because that could lead to the spread of the disease.
He said an ambulance was on standby at the school to ensure that any critical case was sent to the Central Regional Hospital.
The Headmaster of the school, Mr Koame Mieza Edjah, appealed to parents not to visit the school for the next two weeks to enable the school and the health authorities to manage the situation.
He assured parents that the staff of the school was working to give students the needed attention and support during the period, adding that parents should bear with the authorities on the decision to keep students on the compound, saying it was in the best interest of all.
Meanwhile, the public has been advised not to ignore the recent increase in H1N1 influenza but do well to protect themselves from being infected with the deadly influenza, officials of the GHS have indicated.
The H1N1 influenza, commonly refereed to as swine flu, is a disease that is caused by a virus that affects the respiratory system. It first broke out in April 2009 and has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
A pandemic, according to the world health body, is a disease that spreads over a whole country or the world.
Ghana started recording cases in August 2009 and the highest hit is the country’s educational institutions, with the Lincoln Community School in Accra being the first to have been hit by the flu in the latter part of the year. Since then, the virus has spread to the Okuapeman Senior High School in the Eastern Region, Merton Primary in Accra, Tema Parents School and Achimota Basic School.
At the end of March 2010 reports, indicated that Mfantsipim School in Cape Coast and Ayipeh L/A Primary and Junior High School in the Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa District of the Central Region had also been affected by the H1N1 influenza.
Relief for psychiatric hospitals (Front Page)
AUTHORITIES at the three public psychiatric hospitals which were hit by an acute shortage of drugs have heaved a sigh of relief with the supply of drugs to last them for the next four months.
The quantity is said to be about a third of the required drugs needed by the hospitals, since they are usually given supplies to last for a year.
The supplies were made after officials of the hospitals in Accra, Ankaful and Pantang had complained about the shortage and how the situation affected healthcare delivery at those hospitals.
Reports indicate that during the period of the shortage, some of the patients who did not receive the required dose of prescribed drugs became aggressive and attacked other patients or health workers.
The situation, according to the reports, resulted in the killing of a patient each by other patients at the Accra and Pantang hospitals. At the same time, a nurse was almost strangled at the Accra Psychiatric Hospital but she was fortunately saved by one of the patients.
When contacted for comment, the Chief Psychiatrist of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Akwasi Osei, confirmed that drugs meant to last for four months had been supplied and pointed out that efforts were being made to get the remaining drugs to avoid a recurrence of the recent shortage.
He explained that the drugs in question were imported and had to be tested by the Food and Drugs Board (FDB) to ascertain their efficacy, a process which had caused the delay and the subsequent shortage.
Dr Osei said on a daily basis, the three hospitals received between 700 and 800 outpatients, stressing that the figure was in addition to about 2,000 patients on admission.
He said of the 2,000 inmates, the Accra Psychiatric Hospital had the highest number of about 1,200, followed by the Pantang Hospital with about 500, with the rest being at the Ankaful Hospital.
A Daily Graphic report on Friday, March 26 2010 had indicated that the three hospitals had been hit by an acute shortage of drugs for mental patients.
The report revealed that the hospitals had not been supplied with drugs for the past five months.
Health workers at the hospitals told the Daily Graphic that the situation had resulted in some patients on admission being given lower doses of prescribed drugs, while out-patients had to buy from outside the hospitals at exorbitant prices.
Under Ghana’s health sector policy, psychiatric drugs are provided free of charge by the Ministry of Health (MoH) for the treatment of patients who suffer from various types of mental illness. At worst, the drugs have to be subsidised for these patients who are considered vulnerable.
The quantity is said to be about a third of the required drugs needed by the hospitals, since they are usually given supplies to last for a year.
The supplies were made after officials of the hospitals in Accra, Ankaful and Pantang had complained about the shortage and how the situation affected healthcare delivery at those hospitals.
Reports indicate that during the period of the shortage, some of the patients who did not receive the required dose of prescribed drugs became aggressive and attacked other patients or health workers.
The situation, according to the reports, resulted in the killing of a patient each by other patients at the Accra and Pantang hospitals. At the same time, a nurse was almost strangled at the Accra Psychiatric Hospital but she was fortunately saved by one of the patients.
When contacted for comment, the Chief Psychiatrist of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Akwasi Osei, confirmed that drugs meant to last for four months had been supplied and pointed out that efforts were being made to get the remaining drugs to avoid a recurrence of the recent shortage.
He explained that the drugs in question were imported and had to be tested by the Food and Drugs Board (FDB) to ascertain their efficacy, a process which had caused the delay and the subsequent shortage.
Dr Osei said on a daily basis, the three hospitals received between 700 and 800 outpatients, stressing that the figure was in addition to about 2,000 patients on admission.
He said of the 2,000 inmates, the Accra Psychiatric Hospital had the highest number of about 1,200, followed by the Pantang Hospital with about 500, with the rest being at the Ankaful Hospital.
A Daily Graphic report on Friday, March 26 2010 had indicated that the three hospitals had been hit by an acute shortage of drugs for mental patients.
The report revealed that the hospitals had not been supplied with drugs for the past five months.
Health workers at the hospitals told the Daily Graphic that the situation had resulted in some patients on admission being given lower doses of prescribed drugs, while out-patients had to buy from outside the hospitals at exorbitant prices.
Under Ghana’s health sector policy, psychiatric drugs are provided free of charge by the Ministry of Health (MoH) for the treatment of patients who suffer from various types of mental illness. At worst, the drugs have to be subsidised for these patients who are considered vulnerable.
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