Insecurity impedes Guinea worm eradication

Accra, Feb. 19, GNA - Professor Agyeman Badu Akosa, Director-General of Ghana Health Service, on Monday attributed the delay in eradicating guinea worm to frequent ethic conflicts, inadequate ground water supply and the failure of the Tamale water system since early 2006.

He said the challenges over the past 17 years of battles have generated into insecurity, mistrust and poor community participation, which have prolonged the period of eradication.

A release jointly issued by the Ghana Health Service and the Guinea Worm Eradication Programme to the Ghana News Agency said the recent comments by some Members of Parliament that the disease was successfully eradicated but had resurfaced were false.

The release noted that guinea worm cases had dropped from 179,556 in 1989 to just over 4,000 in 2006 and just fewer than 4,000 in 2005. "These two years were the lowest ever recorded cases in Ghana's long running battle.

"It is, therefore, not true that guinea worm was eradicated or nearly eradicated at a point in time in this country. It is significant to note the impact of conflicts in the eradication effort for 1994-1995 and 2002-2003 as a result of insecurity, mistrust and breakdown of the health system and infrastructure.

Prof. Akosa in the release noted that like any other disease targeted for eradication, the reduction at the beginning would be dramatic but flattened out as time went on and guinea worm was no exception.

"The end requires more resources and it is very difficult and expensive to find the lasting remaining cases. Besides, as the cases reduce, the few people who have not accepted the message and would not change from the beginning become more prominent." He said the interventions had not changed, the commitment of health workers and community volunteers had remained high and more resources, especially human and transport, had been mobilized and focused in the remaining endemic areas.

The release explained that the Government had committed itself to the eradication of the disease and had set it as a national priority declaring guinea worm disease a disaster in the Northern Region where it was most prevalent.

It has also made substantial financial commitment to intensify all the interventions, which would include free treatment of guinea worm cases, increased emphasis on improving containment rates via containment centres and providing water for affected areas.

It said a special advisor would be appointed to the Presidency to move the war against the disease forward and commended the commitment of Former US President Jimmy Carter and President John Kufuor for their efforts.

The release called on Politicians, the Media and District Assemblies to help in eradicating guinea worm saying: "Eradicating guinea worm is all about poverty alleviation; increasing school enrolment; increasing productivity and achieving the Millennium Development Goals. There is no loser but everybody wins, so let's all get on board." 19 Feb. 07