Outbreak of Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM) in Northern Ghana has claimed 11 lives with 52 suspected cases reported between December last year till date.
The Public Relations Officer of Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists(GAMLS), Dr Gloria Amegatcher, made this known in an interview with AGTV News in Accra.
She called for urgent steps to enhance laboratory infrastructure to improve early outbreak detection, surveillance, and response efforts for Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM) and other emerging infectious diseases.
“As medical laboratory professionals, we are deeply concerned about the potential spread of this highly infectious and life-threatening disease” she stated.
CSM,response
Cerebrospinal Meningitis is a critical condition characterised by inflammation of the meninges— the protective membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. If not promptly diagnosed and treated, CSM can lead to severe complications, including permanent neurological damage and death.
In response to the outbreak, Dr Amegatcher underscored the vital role of medical laboratory testing in the early detection, accurate diagnosis, and effective management of CSM.
Surveillance
She further explained that enhanced surveillance, scaling up laboratory testing, strict infection prevention and control, public education and awareness creation were needed to effectively manage the spread of CSM.
“This meningitis is usually seasonal, especially in the northern part of Ghana.
And it's all because of the harsh weather conditions. During the harmattan season, the weather is really dry, hot, and it supports the growth of the pathogen. The disease normally peaks December and March” the PRO stressed.
She pointed out that as medical laboratory scientists their role is very crucial in health care delivery.
Dr Amegatcher called on stakeholders to help provide the necessary logistics, build capacity of health personnel as some of the measures to take to reduce the prevalence of CSM.
