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Builsa South District intensifies yellow fever surveillance
•2 min read•1 source
The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has launched an intensified disease surveillance and public education campaign in the Builsa South District. This proactive response follows a confirmed yellow fever outbreak in the neighbouring Upper West Region. Although the district currently records no confirmed cases of the viral disease, health authorities are taking preemptive steps to prevent a cross-border spread and ensure the early detection of potential infections.
District Director of Health Services, Mr. Emmanuel Kob-Puo, stated that the directorate is prioritising the training of health professionals to better identify and report suspected cases. These training sessions focus on clinical symptoms and the protocol for rapid notification to regional authorities. By equipping frontline workers with these skills, the district aims to reduce the time between initial suspicion and official diagnosis, ensuring any potential outbreak is contained before it can spread through the community.
Alongside surveillance, the district is ramping up its routine immunization programmes. This includes a renewed focus on child vaccinations and Human Papillomavirus (HPV) shots for eligible girls. Mr. Kob-Puo emphasized the importance of these preventive measures and called on parents and guardians to cooperate by ensuring their children are fully vaccinated. Public education efforts are also being scaled up to help residents recognize symptoms and understand the critical role of vaccination in maintaining public safety.
Despite these efforts, the health directorate faces significant operational hurdles that could impact its response capacity. Mr. Kob-Puo highlighted a persistent shortage of health professionals and a lack of adequate staff accommodation as major obstacles to healthcare delivery in the district. Nevertheless, he urged residents to remain vigilant and cooperate with health officials by reporting any unusual symptoms to the nearest facility promptly to protect the wider population.
