KUMACA swine flu outbreak: Ministry of Health sleeping on their Job - Muntaka

Minority Chip Whip and MP for Asawase in the Ashanti Region, Muntaka Mubarak, has lambasted the Ministry of Health ‘’for sleeping on the job’’ with regards to the outbreak of H1N1 Influenza popularly referred to as swine flu at the Kumasi Academy.

Health authorities in the Ashanti Region say swine flu vaccines to be administered to students of Kumasi Academy (KUMACA) where an outbreak of the disease has so far claimed four lives are not yet available in the country.

Responding to the latest update, the legislator said the Ministry has failed woefully because it should not have taken them one week to administer vaccines for students in the school.

He said from the way the Influenza spreads and claims the lives of victims, the Ministry should have worked around the clock to get the vaccines for the students.

He reiterated that the Ministry went to sleep from between March and June when the first case was recorded.

According to him, what makes the situation more worrying is that, the students may soon vacate and when they go back home, they may be help spread the influenza to other residents within their localities.

A total of 85 students of the Kumasi Academy were affected with the H1N1 influenza Type A virus, popularly known as swine flu virus since November 30, 2017.

Eleven of the affected are currently on admission at four hospitals in Kumasi but officials say they are also in stable condition.

On Tuesday, they announced at a news conference that the outbreak has been contained to prevent further spread.

But Muntaka Mubarak says the talking is too much and challenged authorities to up their game and stop making promises and giving assurances.

‘’Nobody is talking about efforts. We are talking about results. They should stop talking and saying they are making efforts. We are looking for results,’’ he stressed.