GHS confirms Meningitis case at Koforidua SECTEC

The Ghana Health Service(GHS) has confirmed the student of Koforidua Secondary Technical School (SECTEC) who passed away Friday died of Bacterial Meningitis

Dennis Yaw Acheampong, form two student died Friday morning after complaining of fever, body weakness and stiff neck.

Addressing a section of the media Monday, the Eastern Regional Health Director Dr. Charity Sarpong said fluid collected through lumbar puncture procedure from the deceased before his death and sent to the laboratory has confirmed that the deceased died of meningitis.

Health authorities have put on their monitoring radar, 22 students who had contact with the deceased student prior to his death.

The death of the student has thrown the student body into a state of fear and panic.

Sources in the school indicate that, the deceased continued to complain to his friends of severe fever and body weakness about a week ago after he took part in the School’s 50th anniversary float last week but his condition worsened and later complained of stiff neck.

He was sent to the hospital by some of his classmates Thursday at the knowledge of school authorities.

Uncle of the deceased, identified as Dr. Edwin Okoampa Boadu, in an interview with Kasapa News said he got to know of the ill health condition of his nephew on Friday but was met with bad news of his death upon arrival at the Hospital.

He said, he quickly went to the School to inform management over the cause of the death of the student to enable them take proactive steps.

“We went to the school to let them know what has happened because we were told in the hospital that it is this ongoing virus, meningitis that has killed the boy so we quickly went to the institution, to inform the housemaster and the leadership that with this situation they should quickly create awareness for the students.”

Health officials have visited the school for epidemiological surveillance and awareness to ensure that the contagious disease does not affect other students.

The incident is happening at the back of the outbreak of H1N1 2009 virus which has killed four students at Kumasi Academy School in Ashanti Region. Before that, seven students had already died of meningitis in the same school.