The Ghana Health Service has officially requested all Regional Directors and Chief Executive Officers of Teaching Hospitals to commence precautionary action against an unexpected spread of dengue fever.
According to a statement issued by the GHS on July 13, 2024, what was once identified as clinical malaria by the national surveillance system in the Eastern Region was later confirmed after a few sample tests as Dengue Fever by the Noguchi Memorial Institute (NMIMR). “These cases were not responding to antimalarial treatment and were managed as acute febrile illness and samples sent to Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR). A total of nine of such cases have been confirmed as Dengue Fever.” parts of the statements said.
While a team of national level health experts made up of entomologists and epidemiologists join the regional team to undertake more investigations, all Regional Directors of Health Service and Chief Executive Officers of Teaching Hospitals have been alerted to rally all health-workers in this stake out against the outbreak.
The fever’s description following the surveillance include – any cute fertile illness of 2-7 days duration with headache, retro orbital pain, myalgia, arthralgia, rash, haemorrhagic manifestations, leukopenia.
Results of a confirmed case also indicate positive IgM antibody, four fold or greater rise in IgM antibody titres, positive PCR or viral isolation. Severe levels of the case also were captured as Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever and Dengue Shock Syndrome.
The statement signed by Ghana Health Service’s Director General, Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye has hereby made a request to all Regional Directors of Health Service to initiate a public awareness campaign on Dengue Fever.
The public has been advised to avoid mosquito bites by sleeping in mosquito nets and wearing appropriate clothing, destroying mosquito breeding by eliminating standing water where mosquitoes can lay eggs and encourage appropriate waste management around homes to reduce potential breeding grounds.