By Desmond Cudjoe
Eight people have died and several have been hospitalised across various health facilities in the Western Region as a result of the cholera outbreak.
As of December 7, a total of 789 suspected cases have been recorded, with daily cases exceeding 60.
It is in line with this that a team from the Institutional Care Division of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), has been sent to the Region to monitor the surge in cases, realign emergency health care plans, and augment staff for prompt care.
Speaking to the media, the Head of the team, Dr. Lawrence Ofori Boadu, entreated persons showing symptoms of cholera to immediately report to the hospital for effective management, which is absolutely free for better health outcomes.
According to him, poor sanitation and hygiene, cold foods, bad handwashing practices, and open defecation are the main causes of the disease and thus called on the public to take precautions to be safe. He said vegetables could not be the only source of transmission of the infection.
Dr. Boadu said the team has so far visited five facilities with a daily case of 34, adding that more hands and logistics are needed to stem the surge in the region.
In Ghana, four regions, including the Greater Accra, Eastern, Central, and Western Regions, have been affected by the disease condition.
The Head of Institutional Care said though Greater Accra is calm and Central had fewer cases, the evolving nature of the condition in the Western Region is worrying and called for an effective multisectoral response to curb the surge.
