Alexander Afenyo-Markin, the minority leader in parliament, has urged the administration to scrap its plans to fire nurses, emphasizing that the nation needs more medical personnel to combat the ongoing outbreaks of meningitis and cholera.
In response to Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, the country’s health minister, who spoke in Parliament about the cholera and meningitis outbreak, he cautioned that it would be unjust to fire nurses at a time when Ghana is reporting hundreds of fatalities and thousands of cases of cholera and meningitis.
“This is not the time to sack nurses. Government must ensure no healthcare professional loses their job. Rather, expedited steps should be taken to employ all backlog of healthcare professionals to tackle the outbreak,” he said.
He called on all parties involved to put public health before of politics and make sure there is enough medical staff on hand to handle emergencies.
Speaking on the spread of meningitis, the health minister reassured Ghanaians that the disease’s ongoing epidemic in the Upper West Region was being adequately controlled to stop its spread.
Speaking to Parliament, he revealed that Ghana had reported 129 cases of meningitis, 16 of which had resulted in death, and 29 of whom were still in the hospital.
He claimed that Wa Municipal, Nadowli, Wa West, Jirapa, and Nandom were among the districts most severely affected.
The minister pointed out that quick actions were improving the situation despite the concerning numbers.
“Our efforts are paying off. Already, a wave of improvement is evident in the Upper West Region, where new meningitis cases are decreasing,” he stated.
He clarified that Streptococcus, a form of the virus that is extremely lethal and cannot be prevented by vaccination, is the cause of the outbreak.
He went on to say that the government has gathered resources to stop the spread, such as sending out medical professionals, obtaining antibiotics, and starting extensive public awareness efforts.
Key actions taken, he said, include free treatment for those impacted, monthly meetings with the World Health Organization (WHO) to align with international best practices, and activating the Emergency Operations Center for coordinated response operations.
He added that in order to guarantee a sufficient supply, 10,000 vials of Ceftriaxone, the antibiotic used for treatment, have been obtained.
The minister also emphasized the value of early detection, asking people to notify medical services as soon as they experience symptoms including fever, headaches, neck stiffness, and confusion.
Additionally, he urged local authorities to uphold hygienic standards and promote awareness-raising.
“I appeal to our friends in the media to intensify public education to prevent further spread of the disease,” he continued.
Mr. Akandoh assured Parliament that the government is still dedicated to protecting public health and will keep a careful eye on the outbreak.
Source: newsthemegh.com