Ghana Health Service declares H1N1 defeated at KUMACA

The Ghana Health Service (GHS) says the outbreak of Influenza Type A H1N1 that hit the Kumasi Academy, a Senior High School in the Ashanti Region, has been defeated.

A joint statement issued by the Ministry of Health and Ghana Health Service, and copied to the Ghana News Agency said: “Currently there are no more new cases and the last case was reported on December 19, 2017.

“Having gone over two maximum incubation periods without any new reported case linked to the outbreak, we consider it appropriate to, and subsequently wish to declare the outbreak over on technical grounds,” it said.

The statement said it was looking into media reports that the vaccination for Influenza-A H1N1 and Meningitis is being offered for sale to students and parents in some public health facilities across the country.

“The Ministry of Health/Ghana Health Service has initiated investigations into the allegations and the initial observations indicate that the H1N1 vaccination exercise was conducted mainly for and restricted to the targeted school population and selected frontline health workers and was done free of charge.

“We further wish to state that no H1N1 vaccine nor Meningitis vaccine have been given to any public health facility to be given to any other students,” the statement said.

“If any parent or journalist has proof of vaccines being sold, he or she should contact any of the Regional or District Director of Health Service in his/her area with the evidence for further investigation and application of necessary sanctions and disciplinary measures to the culprits,” the statement said.