Wa, (UW/R), Feb. 11, GNA – The Ghana Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists (GAMLS) has appealed to the government and benevolent community, to boost the medical laboratories in the Upper West Region, for early diagnosing, management, and treatment of Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM).
It said currently, it was only the Upper West Regional Hospital that had the capacity to confirm suspected Meningitis cases.
The rest of the laboratories in the region could perform only basic tests such as Gram staining, glucose and protein tests, and globulin tests among others, which resulted in delayed diagnosis and treatment.
The Association also called for financial clearance for the recruitment of medical laboratory scientists, to augment staff strength of the region due to its present challenge with inadequate personnel which affected the “turn-around time for the CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) investigation”.
Mr Michael Amoah Gyansah, the Upper West Regional Chairman of GAMLS, made the urgent call in a statement during its maiden dinner and Awards night in Wa.
“We call on the government, Non-governmental Organisations, philanthropists, and individuals to urgently support the improvement of testing capacities in our district and municipal hospitals, to do culture and sensitivity testing,” he said.
Mr Gyansah called for urgent retooling of laboratories in the district and municipal hospitals with PCR machines for prompt confirmation of suspected Meningitis cases and to enable those hospitals conduct culture and sensitivity testing to confirm bacterial agents.
It also stressed the need for the government to take steps to build staff capacity for prompt, efficient, and accurate diagnosis of cases, including CSM.
Mr Gyansah indicated that GAMLS was collaborating with the Ghana Health Service, the Regional Health Directorate, and other stakeholders to contain the outbreak.
He appealed to the public to observe the Meningitis prevention measures such as avoiding close contact with anyone showing symptoms, practicing good hygiene including regular washing of hands, proper ventilation and to get vaccinated if recommended by health authorities among others.
The Association also appealed to the public to report signs of the disease including sudden onset of fever; headache, stiffness of neck, vomiting and sensitivity to light among others to the nearest health facility for prompt attention.
The GAMLS said as of February 6, 2025, the region had recorded 60 suspected cases, 16 confirmed cases, and 14 confirmed deaths.
That represented a 23.33 per cent case fatality rate, which calls for urgent measures, including enhanced testing for timely diagnosis and treatment to help contain it and reduce the fatalities.
