Upper West Region is grappling with a worsening meningitis outbreak, with cases surging to 173 and the death toll rising to 16.
Health authorities are on high alert as they work to contain the spread of the disease. According to the latest situational report from the Upper West Regional Health Directorate, four new confirmed cases and 38 suspected cases were recorded in the past week.
The most affected districts—Jirapa, Nandom, Wa Municipal, and Wa West—have all exceeded their alert thresholds. Officials have identified Streptococcus pneumoniae as the dominant strain, alongside Neisseria meningitidis and Haemophilus influenzae.
The hardest-hit age group is 11 to 20 years, accounting for 43.8% of the fatalities.
Response Efforts In response, health authorities have intensified surveillance, sharing daily and weekly situational updates with national agencies. A total of 221 personnel—including clinicians, surveillance officers, laboratory staff, and health promotion officers—have been trained to manage the outbreak.
Hospitals and polyclinics across the region are conducting gram staining, while polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests have confirmed 29 positive cases out of 150 cerebrospinal fluid samples tested.
To improve case management, hospitals have been stocked with ceftriaxone for immediate antibiotic treatment. Peripheral health facilities have been advised to refer severe cases to higher-level hospitals, administering IV ceftriaxone to suspected meningitis patients before transfer.
Authorities have also ramped up community engagement through radio discussions and public health education, urging early symptom reporting. The Ghana Health Service has reiterated that meningitis treatment remains free, per the directive of its Director-General.
Despite these efforts, several challenges persist. Delayed healthcare-seeking behavior has led to late case detection and poor outcomes. Additionally, co-infections with malaria have complicated early diagnosis and treatment.
Meanwhile, high demand for vaccines has hampered reactive vaccination campaigns, as limited availability continues to be a major hurdle in the fight against the outbreak.
—citinewsroom
