Accra, 04 February2016 – In response to the ongoing meningitis outbreak in Ghana, WHO has supported the Ministry of Health with rapid diagnostic testing kits (Pastorex), other laboratory reagents and technical support community and facility surveillance, sensitization and case management. 

“Since the beginning of outbreak in 2016, WHO has supported the MOH to strengthen laboratory and health facilities’ capacity in the affected areas to diagnose and treat patients in time, thus reducing chances of people dying”, says Dr Kaluwa Owen Laws, WHO Representative for Ghana. 

“To control this meningitis outbreak,  government, development and civil society partners  need to work together with all communities and their leaders to ensure that all suspected cases are sent to health facilities on time; meningitis is treatable”, adds Dr Kaluwa. 

In December 2015, suspected cases of meningitis were reported from Tain district in Brong Ahafo Region (BAR), and in January 2016 additional cases were reported in 6 districts of Wenchi, Techiman north, Nkoranza south,  Atebubu, Techniman municipal and Sene west in BAR, Bole and Sawla-Tuna-Kalba in Northern region. 

Sporadic cases have also been reported in six districts in the Ashanti region including Ejisu Juabeng, Offinso municipal, Offinso north, Asante Akim Central and Adansi South. A total of 325 cases and 61 deaths (case fatality rate of 17.1%) have been reported from 10 districts of the BAR, Northern Region and Ashanti Region as at 29 January 2016.  

Streptococcus pneumonia has been identified as the main causative agent of meningitis in this outbreak. Cases have been reported from some districts that have not recorded any cases of meningitis in the recent past and are not within the meningitis belt.  The risk of more people being exposed to the disease is a major concern for WHO and other health actors. 

Meningitis is a serious and potentially fatal disease caused by bacteria, and a cause of widespread fear in Ghana. Ghana is one of the Sub-Saharan African countries that partly lies in the meningitis belt and meningitis cases are always known to peak during the hot seasons (October to March). The 3 northern regions are particularly at greater risk. 

The mode of transmission is person-to-person contact through droplets of respiratory or throat secretions from carriers. Close and prolonged contact – such as kissing, sneezing or coughing on someone, or living in close quarters (such as a dormitory, sharing eating or drinking utensils) with an infected person (a carrier) – facilitates the spread of the disease. 

The most common symptoms of meningitis are a stiff neck, fever, headache, sensitivity to light, confusion, and vomiting. For meningitis due to Streptococcus pneumonia, the key intervention is prompt identification of affected cases and treatment with full course of antibiotics according to WHO guidelines. Mass vaccination campaigns are usually not carried out in such situations. Therefore reporting early to the health facility for diagnosis and treatment when symptoms develop is very important and results in a good outcome.

WHO and partners will further intensify their support for the MoH to control the spread by:

• Enhancing disease surveillance in affected districts;
• providing rapid diagnostic tests for testing meningitis and other supplies;
• educating health care workers and broader communities on meningitis prevention and control; and
• distributing case definitions to health facilities to treat people with meningitis.

As WHO and health partners support the MoH to respond to the outbreak, additional resources are needed to safely deliver a robust and comprehensive response.

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For more information on this article, please contact:

Ms Pauline Ajello, Communication and Advocacy Officer, WHO Ghana +233503397476, Email: ajellopa [at] who.int (ajellopa[at]who[dot]int)