Lead, Ghana Second Year (2YL) of life Project under the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), US, on Thursday donated laboratory drugs worth $60,000 to the Ghana Health Service (GHS).
It was part of initiatives in preventing disease spread.
Dr Mawuli K. Nyaku, the Head of the 2YL project who presented the donation to Dr Ebenezer Appiah Denkyira, Director General of the GHS said the drugs were for testing suspected cases meningitis across the country especially the Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions.
He noted that the CDC had ‘’been procuring a lot of laboratory equipment and supplies’’ for the county including the donation.
He said the initiative of the CDC in detecting outbreak of meningitis in northern Ghana in previous years was due to drought and as such the donation.
Dr Nyaku said the five-year project, which is in its second year was specifically focused on immunisation of people as efforts in preventing meningitis and ‘’a whole lot of disease control’,’ in Ghana.
He disclosed that the project was focused on training nurses on immunisation across the country to visit various schools and extend services to people, ‘’so we are looking at a broader picture of providing health containers in this project”.
Dr Denkyira, expressed appreciation for the donation saying: ‘’ We are grateful for the CDC for the donation. It is a kind initiated to aid our limited resources.”
He told the GNA that the GHS had not recorded any outbreak of meningitis this year and expressed optimism that the donation would prevent the spread of the disease.
Dr Nyaku stated that it was important to keep data and records of these immunisation projects in the country so as make improvements in futuristic disease control, saying “the CDC’s main goal is committed to prevention and spread of disease globally”.
Dr Joseph Opare, the Project Coordinator of the Ghana Second Year(2YL) of life Project was present to witness the donation.
Meningitis is a swelling of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. This inflammation is usually caused by an infection of the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord.
Meningitis is usually caused by bacteria or viruses, but can be a result of injury, cancer, or certain drugs.
The disease is commonly spread through close contact, sneezing, coughing and kissing with affected persons.
Symptoms among others include fever and headache coupled with pain and stiffness in the neck, convulsions and confusions are experienced within two to ten days of contamination, but successful treatment with antibiotics for bacterial infections depended on the early reporting of patients to health facilities.
As part of preventive measures, the public is advised to drink a lot of water, have an open ventilation and wash frequently wash hands under running water before eating or cooking and after visiting the washroom.
It is also advisable to avoid crowded areas during an outbreak of meningitis.
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(Via: NewsGhana)
