Upper West Region sees CSM cases surge to 173, death toll hits 16

The Upper West Region is battling an escalating outbreak of Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM), with reported cases climbing to 173 and fatalities reaching 16.

Health officials are ramping up response measures as new infections continue to emerge. The latest update from the Upper West Regional Health Directorate confirms four additional cases and 38 suspected infections within the past week.

Jirapa, Nandom, Wa Municipal, and Wa West have been identified as the hardest-hit areas, all surpassing their alert thresholds. Streptococcus pneumoniae remains the most prevalent strain, with Neisseria meningitidis and Haemophilus influenzae also detected among patients.

The outbreak has taken a significant toll on younger populations, with individuals aged 11 to 20 years accounting for 43.8% of deaths recorded so far.

To contain the crisis, health authorities have intensified surveillance efforts, ensuring real-time data sharing with national stakeholders. A total of 221 frontline health workers—including clinicians, surveillance officers, laboratory scientists, and health promotion officers—have been trained to strengthen response measures.

Medical facilities across the region are conducting gram staining procedures, while polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests have confirmed 29 positive cases from 150 cerebrospinal fluid samples analyzed.

In an effort to improve treatment outcomes, hospitals have been stocked with ceftriaxone for immediate antibiotic therapy. Health officials have also instructed peripheral health centers to stabilize and administer IV ceftriaxone to suspected meningitis patients before referring severe cases to higher-level hospitals.

Public awareness campaigns have been intensified, with authorities leveraging radio broadcasts and community education initiatives to encourage early symptom detection and prompt medical attention. The Ghana Health Service has assured residents that “meningitis treatment remains free,” in line with directives from its Director-General.

Despite these interventions, significant challenges remain. Many patients seek medical attention late, leading to delayed diagnosis and worsening conditions. Additionally, co-infections with malaria have complicated the identification and treatment of meningitis cases.

Health officials are also facing hurdles in rolling out reactive vaccination campaigns due to limited vaccine availability, making it difficult to curb the outbreak’s spread.