Accra — My heart bleeds any time I think about how the ministry of Health (MoH), and the policy implementing agencies the Ghana Health Service (GES) respectively, have handled the dissemination on H1N1 influenza (swine flu) following the outbreak of the disease in Ghana, in April, 2009. In fact I am in a state of melancholy, because the GHS has failed to recognize the urgent need of reaching out to rural dwellers in particular, and this is simply unacceptable.

It would be recalled that swine flu was first reported in Mexico in March 2009. In the same year, the virus spread to countries such as the United States of America, France, Australia, Egypt, La Cote D?voire, Burkina Faso and Benin. And as a result of the outbreak of swine flu, thousands of pigs were culled in countries like Mexico and Egypt; with the later witnessing violent street protest over the culling of he pigs.

At the time, the reason given for the culling of the pigs was, that the virus that causes the flu is transmitted by the swine. But alas in not time it was discovered, that the virus has undergone mutation in man and this subsequently led to human to human transmission; thus it became almost unnecessary to cull pigs for the purpose of curbing the H1N1 pandemic.

It therefore came with no surprise, when governments across the globe put in place measures aimed at controlling the spread of the influenza among their people. In France, for instance, the people were asked to wear face mask and infected persons were adviced to stand six metre(6m) away when communicating in public. The developed world committed resources for the mass production of vaccines; all these were done in an attempt to halt the forward march of swine flu.

The picture was however different in Ghana, where even information on swine flu was scanty, and as such one has to monitor the foreign media o access information on the pandemic influenza. What I found most unfortunate was when the GHS stated inter alia that swine flu was not in Ghana, this was in March, 2009, though our neighbouring countries has reported cases of the disease. We were just living in a state of self denial and playing the ostrich, to say the least.

Is it not worrying, dear reader, that by the second week of April, 2010 there were five hundred ad thirteen (513) positive cases of swine flu in Ghana, and out of the total number of recorded cases eighty percent (80%) were school children. The hardest it schools included Oxford Preparatory School and Achimota basic school, all in Accra, and Mfantsipim School in Cape Coast.

Given the rate at which school children were getting exposed to swine flu, one would have thought, that he GES and GHS would embark on a nationwide educational drive to sensitize teachers and school children on preventive measure to be taken to minimize the spread of the disease if not eradicate it. And instead of going down to the people in our towns and villages with the help of the information services department (ISD), the GHS rather chose to place advertisement on television and radio, forgetting that there are several communities in Ghana yet to be hooked unto the national grid, and hence such communities are unable to access information on the electronic media.

The fact that there are no flyers, stickers and posters on swine flu posted at health and educational institution and other places for social gathering, tells a tale about how the GHS and GES have handled education about swine flu. Irrespective of the slow reaction rate and response by the GES and GHS especially, I am not by any means suggesting the two bodies are to blame for where we find ourselves. I am only attempting to point out what we could have done better and did not do, and the need for us to do those things now, because it is said that it is better late than never.

Our traditional leaders and religious bodies have also failed woefully in educating their members on swine flu. This is a shame. Being a traditional leader confers on one greater responsibilities; and such responsibilities go beyond the collection of royalties; and dressing gorgeously and sitting in palanquins to attend durburs. Some religious leaders only take delight in extorting money from their members all in the name of offertory to God. The well being of their members is secondary to them. Our religious and traditional leaders need to be proactive and show leadership in health and other issues that threaten the people they preside over.

It is sad that majority of the electronic media were reluctant to discuss swine flu and educate their listeners and viewers because of financial considerations. They were waiting for someone to buy air time for the purpose of educating the people - no sense of patriotism and sacrifice. Oh God! Have mercy.

In your own small way, you can also help yourself and your neighbours by considering the following.

1. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue paper or handkerchief when coughing, coughing, sneezing or yawning to prevent droplet infection.

2. Cover your nose and mouth when close to a person coughing, and sneezing freely.

3. Be weary of shaking the hands of everyone you come across. Handshake has nothing to do with politeness.

4. Do not spit or blow the contents of your nose on any available surface. Be mindful of personal hygiene and good environmental sanitation practices.

5. Wash your hands regularly with clean running water especially after close of work, before meals and after attending funerals, parties, a church service or some other social gathering;

6. The waving of handkerchiefs at churches and other social gathering should be stopped.

7. Do not use your cutlery(fork, knife, spoon) and drinking cup with other persons;

8. Be careful when buying sachet water from vendors or some other consumables packaged in polythene material;

9. Report suspected cases to the nearest health facility as soon as practicable for prompt action; and

10. Take ultimate responsibility over your health needs and be your brother's keeper.

Finally it is important we harness our efforts in order to deal with swine flu decisively; and as a Greek proverb goes "The gods will not do for man, what man must do for himself."