Ghana has recorded nine cases of cholera in the Greater Accra Region.
This was confirmed in a press statement by the Ghana Health Service (GHS), on October 14, 2024. According to the Director General of the GHS, Dr Patrick Kuma Aboagye, the nine cases were confirmed in the Ada West and Ada East districts.
By way of outbreak control protocols, the GHS has announced a series of public health response activities including the activation of Public Health Emergency Management Committees (PHEMCs) from the national, regional and district levels.
Other measures include a multi-sectoral Rapid Response Team; outbreak investigation and environmental assessment; contact identification, tracing and follow-up; daily community case search and cholera oral rehydration centers in public health facilities among others.
In July 2024, the GHS reported that 50 suspected cases of cholera had tested negative but that they were on high alert in case of any infections.
‘‘Our public health priority diseases, cholera is part of them… This year alone, we have had 50 suspected cases which all have proven negative after testing at the labs, so the surveillance is active. We have what we call case definition. It is a criterion that will prompt the healthcare worker to suspect that the person may have cholera,” Deputy Director of Public Health in charge of Surveillance at GHS, Dr. Dennis Laryea said in a report on 3news.com.
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Below is a fact-sheet on cholera with data sourced from Ghana’s Ministry of Health and WHO
Cholera is a diarrhoeal disease caused by a germ found mostly in faeces. It spreads when a person drinks water or eats food that is contaminated with the cholera germ.”
The Symptoms and signs of cholera includ:
- Onset of cholera is sudden
- Diarrhoea, which is profuse, painless and watery
- Vomiting may occur
- Patients are thirsty, tired and weak
- Loss of body fluid occurs rapidly and that may lead to death
How it is transmitted
The cholera germ is commonly spread by, contaminated fingers/hands, flies, water and food. Cholera transmission is from faecal matter to the mouth through the ingestion of:
- Water contaminated with faeces, vomitus of patients and to lesser extent faeces of carriers
- Contaminated foods (milk, cooked rice, beans, eggs seafood etc.)
- Fruits and vegetables – especially those irrigated with waste-water (sewerage garden) and when contaminated fruits and vegetables are eaten raw.
The sources of contamination
- Hands and bodies of asymptomatic cholera patients/carriers.
- Contaminated articles (buckets, cups, cloths and clothes etc.)
Prevention
Protect yourself from getting cholera by observing the following:
- Wash your hands with soap under safe running water before eating, cooking or after visiting the toilet
- Drink safe water
- Eat hot food and avoid cold food
- Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating
- Food handlers should wash their cups, plates and cutlery sets with soap and safe water regularly before use
- Food handlers should cover food for sale.
- People with acute diarrhea should start drinking ORS and immediately visit the nearest health facility
By: GhanaFact
