Ghana’s Upper West Region is facing a severe meningitis outbreak, with 173 cases and 16 deaths reported so far. The situation is alarming, with four new confirmed cases and 38 suspected cases emerging in the past week alone. The affected districts, including Jirapa, Nandom, Wa Municipal, and Wa West, have exceeded their alert thresholds, prompting health authorities to intensify surveillance and response efforts.
The dominant strain of the outbreak is Streptococcus pneumoniae, alongside Neisseria meningitidis and Haemophilus influenzae. The hardest-hit age group is 11 to 20 years, accounting for 43.8% of the fatalities.
To combat the outbreak, health authorities have trained 221 personnel, including clinicians, surveillance officers, and laboratory staff. Hospitals and polyclinics are conducting gram staining and PCR tests to confirm cases, and ceftriaxone has been stocked for immediate antibiotic treatment.
Community engagement has also been ramped up through radio discussions and public health education, emphasizing the importance of early symptom reporting. The Ghana Health Service has reiterated that meningitis treatment remains free, but challenges persist, including delayed healthcare-seeking behavior, co-infections with malaria, and limited vaccine availability.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has also stepped in to provide support, donating 10,600 vials of Ceftriaxone, valued at approximately $23,000, to help combat the outbreak.
