CSM CLAIMS 16 LIVES IN NORTHERN REGION (FRONT PAGE, A3, MAR 23, 2011)

SIXTEEN people have died of the heat-inflicted Celebro-Spinal Meningitis (CSM) in the Northern Region since the beginning of this year.
However, the Northern Regional Director of Health Services, Dr Akwasi Twumasi maintains the situation is under control and gives the assurance that there is no cause for alarm.
“Although the deaths may appear alarming, we are not at the point of an outbreak. We are monitoring the cases and it has not reached an alert or epidemic threshold,” he told the Daily Graphic in an interview in Tamale.
Also, a total of 95 cases of CSM have so far been recorded between January and March this year.
According to Dr Twumasi, this is certainly an improvement over that of last year, because last year, the region recorded 223 cases of CSM, “but this year, it may not even exceed 100 due to the onset of the rains.”
In his estimation, the annual CSM infection is on the decline due to a number of factors, such as increased surveillance and targeted vaccination.
“This year, the delayed rainy season and the presence of humidity may have contributed to the low case load,” Dr Twumasi mentioned.
According to the figures made available to this paper, three districts are leading with the highest number of recorded cases.
They are the Bunkpurugu/Yunyoo, with 15 cases, East Mamprusi with 23 cases and West Mamprusi, eight cases. The Tamale metropolis has also recorded 11 cases.
The Regional Surveillance Officer, Mr Edward Accrachie Abu further indicated that every district had its alert threshold and that none of them had reached its threshold.
He therefore entreated the media to give the appropriate information regarding the CSM infection and avoiding creating panic among the general public.
According to medical experts, CSM is an epidemic and endemic febrile disease, characterised by inflammation of the membranes of the brain and spinal cord, which gives rise to severe headaches, tenderness of the back of the neck and the eventual paralysis of the ocular muscles.
Though it is not contagious, it can kill its victims faster than expected. One of the recommended ways of avoiding CSM is to keep away from crowded areas during the heat season.
Meanwhile, Dr Twumasi also spoke on the Cholera outbreak in parts of the country, but indicated that no single case of the disease had been reported in the Northern Region.
“This does not mean that we are not at risk. The rains are coming and that is when Cholera is rife,” he stated.
Dr Twumasi noted that the Regional Health Directorate was on the look out for any suspected cases so as to arrest it and prevent it from spreading further.
“We are also educating the public to practice sanitation, such as hand-washing with soap and eating food prepared at hygienic places,” he added.
The director mentioned the Integrated Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (IWASH) project being sponsored by the European Union (EU) and UNICEF as one of the interventions being directed towards sanitation and water provision.
“Under the project, toilets and water facilities are being provided and people are being sensitised on the need to practice hand-washing with soap,” he noted.