Child health care sees great improvement

Accra, May 22, GNA - There has been significant progress in the reduction of some childhood diseases responsible for the high mortality rate among children.

Some of these diseases, such as diphtheria and whooping cough, may even be close to the elimination stages if the trend continues, Dr George Amofa, deputy Director of Public Health, said on Monday.

"A total of 43,078 cases of measles was reported country-wide in 1995 but this figure dropped to 11,511 in 1999. "Within that same period only five cases of diphtheria was reported in 1995, and no single case of the disease has shown up over the last three years."

Dr Amofa who was speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Accra said: "this may be an indication that some of these diseases may be nearing the elimination stages if the trend continues and vaccination is sustained."

The deputy Director said whooping cough and neo-natal tetanus have also registered significant reduction. "In 1995, 1,368 cases of whooping cough was reported but this dropped to 496."

Dr Amosa said 216 cases of neo-natal tetanus were reported in 1995 but there were only 66 cases recorded in 1999. "These important childhood diseases which are quite prevalent and endemic have witnessed a general trend in systematic decrease because of improved surveillance nation-wide and the successes achieved in vaccination programmes.

"There is remarkable rapid response at every level from the communities, districts and regions to contain the spread of communicable diseases and other conditions."

Dr Amofa, however, noted that diseases such as malaria, diarrhoea, Acute Respiratory Infections (ARI) and anaemia are still major problems in child health. He said anaemia is usually caused by malnutrition, malaria and hookworm infestation that can destroy the red blood cells and decrease haemoglobin levels.

"There is, therefore, the need for regular de-worming, proper food and balanced diet to raise the blood levels of the child." On malaria, which is responsible for some 25 per cent of under-five mortality, Dr Amofa said: "most people take it for granted forgetting that a child could die within eight to twelve hours from the disease."

He noted that ARI, which includes pneumonia and bronchitis, usually results from bacteria infections in the air caused by poor ventilation, humid conditions, smoke and dust.

"There is the need for the proper management of homes and surroundings as the best preventive measures against ARI." The deputy Director said two new initiatives - the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) and Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) - would be positively affect the health of children since they mainly focus on the proper management of malaria, diarrhoea, respiratory infections, measles and malnutrition.

The RBM initiative is involved with the promotion of public-private partnership for the control of malaria in a sector-wide approach while IMCI deals with the need for child health programmes to go beyond single diseases and address the overall health of a child.