Ghana Health Service Responds to Surge in Typhoid Fever Cases in Oti Region

The Ghana Health Service (GHS), in collaboration with the Oti Regional Coordinating Council and under the leadership of the Ministry of Health, has stepped up efforts to contain a reported surge in Typhoid Fever cases in parts of the Oti Region.

According to health officials, the outbreak has been recorded particularly in the Biakoye, Krachi East, Krachi West, and Krachi Nchumuru Districts. In response, the Ministry of Health has deployed the National Case Management Rapid Response Team to support the regional health team in assessing and managing the situation.

Typhoid fever, which is generally endemic in Ghana, is caused by the bacterium Salmonella Typhi. It spreads through the faecal-oral route when individuals consume food or water contaminated with the faeces or urine of infected persons. Health experts caution that those infected may or may not immediately show signs of the disease.

Common symptoms include fever, chills, general weakness, headache, sore throat, abdominal pain, and in some cases, diarrhoea.

Preventive Measures

The Ghana Health Service is urging residents to adopt strict hygiene and sanitation practices to help curb the spread of the disease. Key preventive measures include:

• Boiling water before drinking to ensure safety.
• Washing hands with soap under running water after using the toilet and before meals.
• Avoiding open defecation near water sources such as streams and wells.
• Cooking food thoroughly, covering cooked meals, and avoiding unhygienic street food.
• Organising community clean-up campaigns to clear refuse from gutters, markets, and surroundings.

Dr. Caroline Reindorf Amissah, Acting Deputy Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, assured the public that adequate measures are being put in place to safeguard lives.

“We wish to entreat the public to remain calm and follow the expert advice from the medical personnel on the ground. We will provide further details after the initial assessment and institute measures that will protect life in the affected districts and the region as a whole,” she stated.

The GHS has pledged continuous updates as investigations and interventions progress.