Ghana under threat of CSM

GHANA is under threat by a new strain of Cerebro Spinal Meningitis (CSM) which is very costly to control.

The emergence of this new strain labelled by scientists as W135, in neighbouring Burkina Faso between February to May, this year, infected more than 12,000 people and killed almost 1,500.

Dr William A. Perea, Medical Officer, Global Alert and Response, Communicable Disease Surveillance and Response (CDS/CSR) of the World Health Organisation (WHO) said this in an interview in Geneva.

He said the outbreak in Burkina Faso was the first time the W135 strain was identified as the primary cause of a major epidemic of meningitis in Africa.

According to him, because of the frequent movement of people between the two countries, Ghana is more at risk than other countries.

Dr Perea said the cause for concern is that currently, the only available vaccine which protects people against W135 is too costly for African countries.

“The vaccine, “tetravalent” is sold at a price which is considered to be simply very expensive for countries in Africa.”

Dr Perea added that the vaccine is not available in large quantities. It is only produced by two pharmaceutical companies, Aventis Pasteur, which sells to the United States of America at $50 a dose and Glaxosmithkline (GSK) which also produces for the market in Saudi Arabia.

He said the existing vaccine used for protection against the strains A and C which have thus far been responsible for most meningitis epidemic sells at 25 cents a dose and is more affordable.

Dr Perea said the WHO and its partners have begun urgent consultations to prepare for the likelihood of further outbreaks of the new strain, possibly next year. WHO, he stated, is also negotiating with the manufacturers of the tetravalent vaccine at reduced costs, and also with donors to provide funding for the procurement of the vaccine to save lives.

He observed, however, that the W135 strain is not new, but this is the first time it has caused an epidemic.