By Clifford Okyere
The Director of Public Health at the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Franklin Asiedu-Bekoe, has urged the public to maintain a habit of frequent handwashing to deal with the increasing cases of Acute haemorrhagic conjunctivitis, otherwise known as “Apollo” in the country.
In an interview with citinews, he cited the need for individuals to refrain from touching their eyes and advocated for the promotion of frequent handwashing, as over 50% of eye cases reported at the Police Hospital’s eye clinic are linked to Apollo and warn of a fast spread across all 16 Regions.
“This is about prevention, how do we ensure that people avoid touching their eyes? And we need to also promote handwashing,” the Director of Public Health advised.
Apollo, also known as Acute Hemorrhagic Conjunctivitis, is a severe form of viral pink eye that causes eyelid swelling, discharge, and bleeding. Known as “Apollo 11 disease” in West Africa, it is more severe than other conjunctivitis types and can cause painful swelling and noticeable bleeding. Treatments can help manage symptoms until the virus clears.
