Number of measles cases in Ashanti Region alarming – GHS

The growing number of children diagnosed with measles and rubella in the Ashanti region has become a major health concern for the Ghana Health Service.

The number of cases in the region is said to have moved from 9 in 2018 to 114 in mid 2024.

Though records show that no child has died from measles in Ghana for the past 15 years, the disease is endemic and health officials fear the surge in cases may likely not only maim children but also cause their death if not tackled.

Alarmed with the worrying trend, the Regional Health Directorate is targeting vaccinating 1 million children between 9 to 59 months in the region as part of the national vaccination exercise to prevent the surge in cases and associated mortality.

“Measles Rubella kills and comes with a lot of complications as well. If you don’t want your child to be blind or deaf, then you must ensure that child is not left out of the immunization exercise”, Ashanti Regional Director of Health Services, Dr Fred Adomako Boateng explained at a media encounter in Kumasi.

The nationwide exercise is scheduled to begin on October 2 to October 6.

The increasing cases of hypertension in the region is also a cause for concern to health officials. They are taking steps to control the mortality rate linked to hypertension.

“A lot of people are having hypertension, but they don’t know. Our intention is to screen as many as possible to let people know their status because 75 percent of heart failures are caused by hypertension”, Dr Adomako Boateng disclosed.

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