By Edzorna Francis Mensah
Dr. Sebastian Ngmenenso Sandaare MP for Daffiama Bussie Issa Constituency in the Upper West Region has called on the all stakeholders in the health Sector as matter of urgency to strengthen the overall health systems in epidemic-prone Regions like the Upper West Region to address the negative impact of perennial meningitis outbreaks in Ghana.
In this regard, the MP in a statement delivered on the floor of parliament 6th February, 2025, proposed six measures including Meningitis outbreak preparedness by making budgetary allocations for staff capacity building, prepositioning medicines, and essential logistics in these regions ahead of the meningitis season.
According to him, MOH/GHS should identify innovative ways of ensuring equitable distribution of health workers, especially in the northern part of the country as well as a reward system to attract and retain health workers in the deprived regions.
This he believes could include free accommodation, transportation attached to a number of years served, scholarships for health workers serving in deprived areas, and salary differential in favor of staff serving in such areas.
Dr. Sebastian Sandaare also called for public health education in form of community sensitization programs to educate people on the signs and symptoms of meningitis and the importance of early medical intervention, “to enhance case management, investments in healthcare facilities, laboratory diagnostics, and the training of healthcare workers should be prioritized”.
The MP again proposed what he called cross-border collaboration with neighboring countries to strengthen cross-border surveillance and information-sharing mechanisms to prevent and control outbreaks such as meningitis….” government should establish a Public Health Emergency Fund which will ensure sustained funding for current and future outbreaks”.
He noted that, the Meningitis situation in the upper West Region has resulted in high Mortalities and need urgent intervention by Government and other Stakeholders.
background
Meningitis remains a significant public health concern in Ghana, particularly in the northern regions where periodic outbreaks occur. The disease, caused by the inflammation of the meninges due to bacterial, viral, fungal, or parasitic infections, often leads to severe complications, including neurological damage and death if not promptly treated. The northern part of Ghana is located within the African meningitis belt, which stretches from Senegal to Ethiopia, making it highly susceptible to recurrent epidemics. The disease is characterized by sudden onset of fever, headache, stiff neck, nausea, vomiting, and in severe cases, seizures and coma. Despite efforts to control and prevent outbreaks, meningitis continues to pose a major health threat, especially in rural communities where healthcare access is limited.
