THE Northern Regional Co-ordinator of the Guinea Worm Eradication Programme (GWEP), Mr Gilbert Dery, has called on district assemblies to support efforts at eradicating the disease by enforcing its bye-laws on the disease.
He appealed to traditional authorities to revive their respective traditional summons to maintain discipline among the rural people as a strategy to eradicate the disease.
Giving an overview of the disease in the region during an interaction with media practitioners, Mr Dery stated that there was the need to improve on surveillance of the disease to detect all cases before they emerge.
According to him, inadequate funding, lack of potable water supply in some communities and dam guard maintenance, were some of the challenges facing the programme.
He, however, said there had been a 50 per cent reduction in guinea worm cases between January and October, 2009 compared with the same period last year.
Last year, a total of 450 cases were recorded as against 235 this year.
Mr Dery mentioned the endemic districts as Gusheigu, Karaga, Savelugu-Nanton, Tolon-Kumbungu, Yendi Municipality, East and Central Gonja and Tamale Metropolis.
“We must however ensure that all communities enjoy potable water; this is because guinea worm reduces productivity and keeps children away from school,” he stated.
Dr Dery explained that one of the successes chalked up by the programme, included improved inter-sectorial collaboration through Inter-Agency Co-ordinating Committee meetings.
The co-ordinator stated that 48 out of the 49 endemic villages in the country were found in the Northern Region.
According to Mr Dery, Ghana recorded 85 per cent reduction rate in guinea worm between 2007 and 2008.
He said redefined interventions like treatment of large water bodies used by dam guards, varied filters advocacy for safe water use suspect case, forecast list and sporadic follow up on all suspected cases, were put in place to reduce the prevalence of the disease.
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