In an deal with to Parliament, the Well being Minister, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, emphasised the rising concern over the re-emergence of monkeypox within the nation.
He recalled that Ghana recorded its first circumstances through the 2022 world outbreak, confirming 128 circumstances and 4 deaths between 2022 and 2023.
A further 5 circumstances had been reported in 2024. Zunotic illnesses equivalent to Monkeypox, he famous, stay a big world public well being concern.
The present outbreak started on Could 13, 2025, with two confirmed circumstances recognized within the Accra Metropolitan Meeting.
As of June 9, a complete of 85 circumstances have been recorded throughout 10 areas and 30 districts, better Accra, Western, and Western North areas are most affected.
In keeping with the Minister, the federal government responded promptly with a structured, a number of strategy in any respect ranges.
This strategy contains improved coordination, enhanced surveillance, strengthened laboratory companies, efficient case administration, danger communication, and the activation of public well being emergency groups.
“These groups are absolutely operational, guaranteeing the provision of important logistics equivalent to private protecting tools (PPE) to guard frontline well being staff “he acknowledged.
The Minister attributed the rise in monkey pox case detection to higher surveillance techniques, expanded testing capability, and rigorous contact tracing.
Nevertheless, he warned that to maintain this progress, it’s vital to replenish important laboratory provides.
To additional management the unfold of the illness, the Ghana Well being Service, in collaboration with key stakeholders, has intensified public schooling efforts.
Via partnerships with civil society organizations (CSOs), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and the media, preventive messages are being amplified nationwide.
“Mr. Speaker,” the Minister acknowledged, “whereas we deal with the present outbreak, we’re additionally laying the groundwork for long-term preparedness.”
These long-term measures embrace constructing capability, pre-positioning logistics, sustaining built-in surveillance, exploring modern financing mechanisms, and contemplating focused vaccination for high-risk teams.
The Well being Minister respectively urged the Members of Parliament to assist ongoing efforts by selling key preventive messages and supporting well being directorates inside their constituencies.
He concluded that “I want to guarantee this honorable home and the folks of Ghana that the well being sector stays absolutely dedicated to containing this outbreak.”
