Public Agenda (Accra)
1 December 2008
The Ghana Health Service is warning that cerebro spinal meningitis (CSM), a medical condition caused by inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, is spreading from the north where it is prevalent to the rest of the country.
Dr. Elias Sory, Director General of the Ghana Health Service, noted in a statement in Accra on Friday that meningitis outbreaks had been limited to the three northern regions and parts of Brong Ahafo for years.
"The disease is, however, threatening to spread to the rest of the country," Dr Sory warned.
He said classical signs and symptoms of the disease in adults included headache, fever, neck pains or stiffness and sometimes rashes.
"Patients can easily go unconscious within a day or two," Dr Sory warned.
In children, the symptoms include fever, irritability and crying and sometimes convulsions.
Dr Sory said the disease could be prevented through the avoidance of overcrowding and by sleeping in well ventilated rooms.
He said meningitis could be treated with vaccines provided people reported early to health facilities.
Dr Sory reiterated that early reporting was critical for the survival of patients. GNA
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2008 Public Agenda. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
