About 21 inmates of the Budumburam camp in the Central Region have died as a result of an outbreak of Cerebro-Spinal Meningitis (CSM). The disease which broke out in September last year has gradually affected almost 1% of the total population of the 40,000 people at the camp.

The outbreak of the disease, which is still raging, was first officially communicated to the appropriate camp authorities in September last year, but it was downplayed. These disclosures were made by Dr. Amos Ross Gbortoe, director of the St. Amos Nursing Aid and Practical Nursing School in a speech to mark the school?s third graduation ceremony. Dr. Gbortoe who is also the senior resident medical office of the St. Amos clinic at the camp, also told the graduands that they have a very long and difficult task ahead because of the outbreak of many diseases such as malaria, typhoid, jaundice, cholera and HIV/AIDS among the refugee community.

He noted that these are preventable diseases, but because of the negative lifestyles of some of the refugees in terms of hygiene and sanitation, it is difficult to prevent the disease from attacking them. He urged the graduands to play a positive role in educating the people to keep their environs clean.