Bilharzia hits Asunafo district

Two hundred and sixty seven out of the 587 pupils in the Fawohoyeden community in the Asunafo District are suffering from the tropical Bilharzia disease.

A joint exercise conducted by the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and the Disease Control Unit of the Ministry of Health to ascertain the prevalence of the disease in the area has revealed. It is suspected that the pupils contracted the disease through frequent bathing in the Fawohoyeden River.

Dr. J. K. Kyeremeh, District NADMO Co-ordinator told the GNA that two of the three boreholes in the town have broken down. He said the remaining one has been reserved for students of the Youth Development Training Centre in the town, forcing the people to resort to the river. Dr Kyeremeh said the affected pupils have blood in their stool and there are fears that about 70 per cent of the people may be infected.

He advised the people to stop using the river water while to contain the situation, are being taken.