Accra, Feb. 23, GNA - Dr Joseph Amankwah, Director of Public Health of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), on Tuesday expressed concern about the outbreak of the Cerebro Spinal Meningitis (CSM) which has hit the Upper West region.

In a telephone interview with the Ghana News Agency, Dr Amankwah said Ghana had been alerted by World Health Organisation (WHO) of the outbreak in the meningi= tis belt, which stretched from Senegal through Niger to Chad.

He noted that northern neighbour Burkina Faso had reported this kind of bacterium, known as W135, since 2001 but it was new in Ghana.

"Our worry is that Kasena Nankana shares a common border with Burki= na Faso and there is the likelihood that it might spread to our villages and communities." Dr Amankwah, who led a national team of health experts to assess the extent of the situation in the Upper West Region, said Ghana had over the years been experiencing CSM type A but suddenly it had detected the new strain W135.

He said GHS on Monday submitted a proposal to WHO in Geneva through the Accra office for vaccines for the treatment of the new strain.

The vaccines, which, he said, were expected to be in the country in a week's time, would take 48 hours for WHO to assess the proposal after which the vaccines would be air lifted into the country.

Whilst awaiting the vaccines from Geneva, there are antibiotics that= could be used to manage the situation.

The Upper West Region from January to February 22 recorded 95 cases in all the nine districts out of which 17 have been reported dead. Jirapa, which is the worst hit, has recorded eight deaths. Meningitis mainly occurs in northern Ghana following the long, hot a= nd dry months. It starts in October to April with symptoms like fever, headache, neck pain and is transmitted through the respiratory system. Risk factors include household overcrowding, smoking and exposure to=

smoke and close contact

with an affected person. Dr Amankwah urged Ghanaians to drink more fluid, avoid overcrowding and report immediately

if they see signs or symptoms for prompt treatment.