Three cases of poliomyelitis with two deaths have been recorded in the Bono, Bono East and Ahafo regions.
The first case reported in the Bono Region, was a 24-month-old girl from Asiri in Goka, a sub district in the Jaman North District.
The second case was a 33-month-old girl resident in Sissala line in the Techiman West sub municipality in the Bono East Region and the third case was a 37-month-old boy from Kwasuso in the Asutifi South District of the Ahafo Region.
Poliomyelitis is highly infectious viral disease which mainly affects young children. The virus is transmitted from person to person, spread mainly through the faecal-oral route or less frequently by a common vehicle (via contaminated water or food) and multiplies in the intestine, from where it can invade the nervous system and cause paralysis.
According to the Bono Regional Health Directorate of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), the cases were detected in October and November last year with the latest one in January 2020.
The Deputy Regional Director of Public Health, Dr John Ekow Ottoo, who briefed journalists here in Sunyani yesterday said, the third victim, in critical and paralysed condition, was being treated.
According to Dr Ottoo, initial symptoms of polio include fever, fatigue, headache, vomiting and stiffness in the neck and pain in the limbs, saying the disease had no no cure, but could only be prevented by immunisation.
The Deputy Public Health Director stressed the need for the general improvement of sanitation across the country, noting that the virus was in the system due to poor sanitary condition in the affected areas.
He said the GHS had deployed staff and volunteers to the affected areas, including the various borders within the jurisdiction for the immunisation exercises.
Dr Ottoo urged the public to cooperate with the GHS as the immunisation began on Wednesday.
FROM DANIEL DZIRASAH, SUNYANI
