GHANA recorded only eight cases of guinea worm from January to June this year, with the hope that the country would soon be declared a guinea worm-free country.
According to the Ghana Health Service, more than 200 cases of the guinea worm infection were reported between January and June in 2009, as against eight recorded this year.
The former President of the United States of America, Mr Jimmy Carter, told the people of northern Ghana through a radio message that he was very optimistic Ghana could break the transmission of the guinea worm disease.
Mr Carter, whose Carter Centre is a major player in the Guinea Worm Eradication Programme (GWEP), said his optimism was derived from statistics provided from the Ghana Health Service and appealed to all residents in the northern part of Ghana to get involved in the eradication programme.
The former US President said, “We are now within reach of our collective goal of totally eradicating guinea worm disease. I would like to thank the Government of Ghana, the people of this great country and all partners for their collaboration and support in getting us where we are today”.
“I caution everyone that the battle against guinea worm is not over until every case has disappeared. It was in Ghana that I saw my very first case of guinea worm and I promise you that the Carter Centre and I would continue this battle with you until the very last case is gone,” Mr Carter added.
In a similar radio broadcast, the Minister of Health, Dr Benjamin Kunbour, implored Ghanaians to complement the government’s efforts towards the eradication of the disease.
He asked them to be on the look out for any suspected guinea worm case and report immediately to the healthcare centre for effective response.
Dr Kumbour pledged the government’s continuous support towards the eradication project and commended the partners for standing by the country during difficult times.
In 1989, when the eradication programme began, the country recorded 189,000 cases of guinea worm but the cases have been reduced by over 98 per cent through eradication efforts.
According to officials at the Guinea Worm Eradication Programme (GWEP) secretariat, the main issues that were likely to hinder the eradication programme were the threat posed by migrant populations and a cut in funding.
The migrant populations, they explained, were mostly unaware of measures instituted to curb the disease and therefore, sometimes acted in ways that were likely to expose them to the disease or spread the disease.
They also noted that funds were needed to continue implementing the control measures, which included provision of care, policing and treatment of dams, payment of staff and the provision of alternate and potable sources of water.
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