Ghana Health Service offers reward for reported guinea worm cases

Dr Ebenezer Appiah Denkyira, Director General of Ghana Health Service (GHS), on Thursday appealed to the public to report to the health authorities any guinea worm case they come across to facilitate eradication.

He said anybody who would report a case would earn a reward of GH¢200.

During the launch of a special community-based campaign on cholera at Nima, in Accra, Dr Denkyira told the Ghana News Agency that the decision to reward anyone who would report guinea worm cases is critical because “we want to ensure that Ghana is free of guinea worm so we could earn that world record title”.

He said a World Health Organisation team would be arriving in the country next year to verify whether Ghana is indeed free from guinea worm infestation.

Dr Denkyira said the GHS is, therefore, taking surveillance measures to ensure that no case of guinea worm remained in any part of the country.

“Our concern has been that somebody could have picked the worm from the northern parts of Ghana and travelled to other parts of the country and spread it to unsuspecting people.

“That is why we are taking these measures to ensure that all cases are dealt with and the country is free of guinea worm infestation,” Dr Denkyira said.

Meanwhile, the cholera campaign was aimed at educating Ghanaians living in high risk areas like Nima, Maamobi, Agbogbloshie and other related areas on how to prevent cholera.

Source: GNA