Oti Regional Health Director disputes claim of typhoid by regional minister

The Oti Regional Director of Health Services, Dr Kofi Amo-Kodieh, has refuted claims of deaths linked to the ongoing typhoid outbreak in the region, emphasising that no fatalities have been officially recorded.

In an interview on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem morning show on August 27, 2025, Dr Amo-Kodieh attributed the absence of confirmed deaths to effective public health education and timely reporting by patients to medical facilities.

“So far, we have no record of anyone dying from this outbreak. Our health education campaigns have helped people seek care on time, which is crucial in managing typhoid,” he stated.

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Addressing reports of fatalities, he clarified, “As a medical professional, when someone dies, I rely on the official medical cause of death. I have not received any information confirming that anyone has died from this outbreak.”

He urged caution in linking deaths to typhoid without verified medical evidence, noting, “People may assume a death is caused by typhoid, but the only way to know the exact cause is through a medical certificate of cause of death. Until that is confirmed, we cannot say for certain.”

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Dr Amo-Kodieh’s remarks contradict statements by the Oti Regional Minister, John Kwadwo Gyapong, who claimed during an August 26, 2025, interview on Joy FM that the typhoid outbreak had claimed lives, including those of a traditional leader and a former Dambai Municipal Chief Executive.

John Kwadwo Gyapong described the situation as “bad” and “scary,” warning of the disease’s rapid spread.

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