Dr. Benjamin Kumbour, Minister of Health has taken a swipe at a cross-section of the Ghanaian media for misreporting on outbreak of the Cerebrospinal Meningitis disease which hit some parts of northern Ghana.

The Health Minister bemoaned that a section of the media failed to contact health experts for a clear picture of the situation which resulted into some over-bloated figures.

Giving an account of the CSM disease after visiting the Upper West, Upper East and the Northern Region on a fact finding mission, Dr. Kumbour announced that 79 cases were recorded and out of this figure 17 died.

He mentioned Sawla-Kalba, Bunkprugu-Yunyoo and East Mamprusi as some of the affected communities in the three regions of the north.

According to the Health Minister, Ghana anticipated the outbreak of the CSM disease as far back as November 2009 and early January 2010 and that the necessary steps were taken to control the situation.

Dr. Kumbour promised that government was doing everything possible to prevent the disease from spilling over to other parts of the three regions of the north.

He disclosed that the first consignment of W135 vaccines expected to arrive in Ghana by March 2 have been airlifted to the affected regions to minimize the situation.

Dr. Kumbour also assured Ghanaians that a surveillance team comprising medical experts has been tasked to monitor and report to the appropriate quarters for remedial solutions.

 

Abdul-Karim Naatogmah