GHANA is ranked the second most guinea-worm endemic spot in the world.The National Co-ordinator of the Guinea-Worm Eradication Programme, Dr Andrew Seidu Korkor, said the country is ranked after Sudan because the programme to control the disease has stagnated for the past 10 years with very little or no yearly case reduction.

Speaking at a durbar of chiefs and people of Gbungbaliga and its surrounding communities in the Nanumba District of the Northern Region, he said Ghana recorded 4,877 guinea-worm cases last year as against 4,244 cases in 2001. Dr Korkor said the programme is in a critical situation despite the enormous support it has received in the past and continues to receive now.

He noted that while all the other nine regions recorded decreases in guinea worm cases, the Northern Region alone recorded an increase and accounted for 80 per cent of all the cases reported in the country.The region, he said, recorded 3,698 cases last year, representing an increase of 28 per cent over the 2,666 cases reported in 2001.

Nine of the top 15 endemic districts in the country were also in the region with the Nanumba District occupying the third position after East Gonja and Zabzugu-Tatale districts.Dr Korkor noted that 145 cases were recorded at Gbungbaliga community alone and the 296 cases registered in other communities within the area are a drawback to the programme.

He said the programme was faced with many challenges, which were completely outside its control,, pointing out that " the common feature between us and Sudan is the presence of conflict; besides, the provision of potable water to affected communities has not kept pace with the application of other strategies for the interruption of transmission".

Dr Korkor said the non-identification for involvement of other sectors and especially the affected communities in the activities of the programme has made people see the eradication effort as purely an activity for the Ministry of Health.He, therefore, urged the people to treat the issue of guinea-worm as an economic and developmental one and not merely as a medical issue, saying that "there is a lot we can do as individuals, families and communities to accelerate the eradication effort".

Dr Korkor reminded the people that guinea-worm is transmitted through drinking water that has been contaminated by an infested person and not caused by witches and wizards as being rumoured.

Madam Nwando Diallo, Resident Technical Adviser of Global 2000 Ghana, said her outfit was committed to supporting the government to eradicate the disease and called for concerted efforts at the community level to complement the government's efforts.