The Ghana Health Service (GHS) will begin a yellow fever vaccination exercise in three districts in the Upper West Region next week following the approval of a vaccine, Director of Public Health Dr Franklin Asiedu-Bekoe has announced.

The exercise is expected to cover Sissala East, Sissala West and Wa West as health authorities intensify efforts to contain the outbreak and protect residents in affected communities.

Speaking on JoyNews’ AM Show on Friday, October 9, Dr Asiedu-Bekoe said preparations for the vaccination exercise were almost complete.

“As I speak, we are almost ready to have our vaccine. It has been approved. Next week, we are going to have vaccination in Wa East, Wa West, among others,” he said.

The planned exercise follows reports of yellow fever cases in the region, prompting health authorities to investigate the extent of the infections and strengthen measures to prevent further spread.

Dr Asiedu-Bekoe disclosed that seven districts in the Upper West Region had reported cases, with Sissala East, Sissala West and Wa West among the areas of particular concern.

The Director of Public Health also explained that samples had been sent to Dakar for laboratory analysis to help health authorities establish the status of other suspected cases.

“As we speak now, some samples, I think two of the samples, are in Dakar. If it comes out positive, then we can say that we have an outbreak in Upper West,” he said.

However, the Ministry of Health has since announced a yellow fever outbreak in parts of the Upper West Region following laboratory confirmation of three cases, all of which resulted in deaths.

The Ministry said the response was being coordinated through the Ghana Health Service in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO), as authorities work to contain the outbreak and protect public health.

As part of the response, the planned vaccination campaign is expected to provide protection to residents in the targeted districts and complement other preventive measures being implemented by health authorities.

Public urged to observe preventive measures

The Ministry of Health has urged the public to report to the nearest health facility immediately if they experience symptoms associated with yellow fever, including sudden fever, headache, muscle pain, yellowing of the eyes or skin, and unusual bleeding.

It has also advised residents to eliminate stagnant water around their homes, sleep under insecticide-treated mosquito nets, and use mosquito repellents to reduce exposure to mosquitoes.

The Ministry further cautioned against self-medication and urged the public to rely on official information from the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service.

Traditional and religious leaders, the media, civil society organisations and the general public have also been called upon to support efforts to contain the outbreak by sharing accurate information and encouraging residents to follow public health advice.

The government has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the health and well-being of the population as preparations for the vaccination exercise continue.

With vaccination expected to begin next week in Sissala East, Sissala West and Wa West, health authorities are working to strengthen the response to yellow fever in the Upper West Region.