Tolon, (N/R), May 22, GNA - There has been a remarkable improvement in the fight to reduce the guinea worm infection in the Tolon/Kumbungu district this year due to the improved water supply to the district. Mr. Wahab Suhyini Wumbei, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for the area who announced this at Tolon on Wednesday said the disease had reduced by 85 per cent and asked stakeholders in the guinea worm fight not to relent in their efforts to fight and curb the disease totally from the district.

Mr. Wumbei said this when he addressed the first ordinary meeting of the Assembly for the year held at Tolon to deliberate and find measures to improve revenue mobilisation for the district's development. The meeting also discussed the devastating rainstorm that hit the district and caused a lot of havoc to lives and property and to see how best they could seek donor and government support to help the displaced persons.

Mr. Wumbei said, "The district recorded 288 guinea worm cases from January to February 2007 and had recorded 41 cases within the same period this year, which represents 85 per cent reduction." He urged members of the Assembly not to be complacent with the reduction but intensify efforts towards its eventual elimination in the district noting that the educational campaign in particular must continue unabated until the final reported case was eliminated.

Mr. Wumbei said the Integrated Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (I-Wash) project, which aimed at eradicating Guinea worm through an integrated approach to water supply had taken off in the district. He said the overall goal of the project, which was a collaborative effort between the EU-UNICEF, and the Government of Ghana was to contribute to a total improvement in family health status and the quality of life of the population in highly endemic Guinea worm

Districts in the Northern Region. On peace, security and development, Mr Wumbei said the situations had improved tremendously and that the Assembly was working hard complete two police stations at Tolon and Nyankpala before the end of the year to further improve the security. He, however, indicated that there had been a reported isolated alleged defilement case of a 12-year-old girl in a community within the District by a Fulani herdsman and that the matter was under investigation while the victim was on admission at the Tamale Teaching Hospital.

He appealed to chiefs and other influential people in the district not to interfere in the matter since the police was handling it professionally and that the culprit would surely be brought to book to serve as a deterrent to others.

Mr. Wumbei outlined the various development projects being undertaking by the Assembly from its share of the Common Fund and expressed the hope that the Assembly would be able to finance the completion of the projects to build the people's trust in government.