Elephantiasis, HIV fast spreading in Sunyani Municipality

Elephantiasis is fast spreading in the Sunyani Municipality, Mr. Robin Appiah, the Municipal Health Promotion Officer said on Tuesday.

He said 10 cases had been recorded and victims had been placed on life drugs.

Interacting with the chiefs and people of Atuahenekrom, Ohukrom, Kufuor Camp and Atronie in the Municipality, Mr. Appiah said the disease had no links with witchcraft, hereditary and family curse and it was rather caused and spread by a particular type of mosquito.

The Municipal Health Promotion Officer was among Heads of Departments who followed Mrs. Evelyn Ama Kumi Richardson during her familiarisation visit to some communities in the Municipality.

As a preventive measure, Mr. Appiah said the Municipal Health Directorate would soon distribute free drugs to residents in the communities to fight the disease.

He however added that the drugs were not good for pregnant women and advised the beneficiaries to avoid alcohol when taking them.

Whilst appealing to the people to take the drugs, Mr. Appiah also challenged them to keep their surroundings clean at all times to avoid the spread of mosquitoes.

Mr Appiah mentioned chronic fever, unusual fatigue, loss of appetite, burning sensation of affected body part as some of the immediate symptoms of the disease and appealed to the general public to report to nearest health facilities for examination when such signs and symptoms were observed.

He later told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that HIV/AIDS was also spreading very fast in the Municipality and cautioned the youth against unprotected sex and promiscuous lifestyles.