MANAGING EPIDEMICS IN THE NORTH

The Ministry of Health organised a meeting at Tamale to discuss the preparedness of districts in the Management of epidemics in the country. The meeting was part of the Ministry's efforts to strengthen the surveillance of diseases and the control of epidemics. It was attended by District Health Management Teams in the Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions, and staff of the National Disaster Management Organisation, NADMO. Also present were the Minister of Health, Dr.. Eunice Brookman-Amissah, the Director of Medical Services, Dr.. Asamoah-Baah, the Director of Public Health, Dr.. Sam Bugri and the National Co-ordinator of NADMO, Mr.. Kofi Portuphy. The participants discussed among other things steps for detecting epidemics, organisation of outbreak response, logistic management, the management of cases as well as public education and information. The meeting recommended mass immunisation for communities in the CSM belt. Dr.. Brookman-Amissah and the Director of Public Health, Dr.. Sam. Bugri discussed in-house and external evaluation reports of last year's epidemic. They outlined areas of deficiency in the health system and the state of preparedness for epidemics. Since the CSM epidemic, the districts have been undertaking various activities to prepare themselves for any outbreak of the disease End

The Ministry of Health organised a meeting at Tamale to discuss the preparedness of districts in the Management of epidemics in the country. The meeting was part of the Ministry's efforts to strengthen the surveillance of diseases and the control of epidemics. It was attended by District Health Management Teams in the Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions, and staff of the National Disaster Management Organisation, NADMO. Also present were the Minister of Health, Dr.. Eunice Brookman-Amissah, the Director of Medical Services, Dr.. Asamoah-Baah, the Director of Public Health, Dr.. Sam Bugri and the National Co-ordinator of NADMO, Mr.. Kofi Portuphy. The participants discussed among other things steps for detecting epidemics, organisation of outbreak response, logistic management, the management of cases as well as public education and information. The meeting recommended mass immunisation for communities in the CSM belt. Dr.. Brookman-Amissah and the Director of Public Health, Dr.. Sam. Bugri discussed in-house and external evaluation reports of last year's epidemic. They outlined areas of deficiency in the health system and the state of preparedness for epidemics. Since the CSM epidemic, the districts have been undertaking various activities to prepare themselves for any outbreak of the disease End