Health authorities in the Ashanti Region are increasingly alarmed by the sharp rise in measles and rubella cases, which have surged by over 100 percent in the past two years.
The Ghana Health Service says despite efforts to contain the spread of these diseases, the numbers keep climbing. In 2021, only four cases were recorded, but this figure jumped to 24 in 2022 and surged to 79 in 2023. Alarmingly, 119 cases have already been reported in 2024.
Speaking at the launch of a supplementary measles and rubella vaccination campaign, scheduled for October 2 to October 6, 2024, Dr. Fred Adomako Boateng linked the rise in cases to gaps in vaccine administration. He stressed that the growing number of unvaccinated children increases the risk of outbreaks.
Dr. Boateng highlighted the severe complications of measles and rubella, including blindness and deafness, urging parents to take advantage of the opportunity to vaccinate their children against these preventable diseases.