Ejisu (Ash), April 4, GNA - About 850 people infected with Bilharzia, a water-borne disease, within the last seven months in the Ejisu-Juaben Municipality have been given free treatment by the Municipal Directorate of the Ghana Health Services (GHS) and M & G Health Consultancy. The victims, mostly school children, might have been infected when swimming in some infested streams namely Samaa at Amaoma Achiase, Hwere and Trentare at Kubease, Ampono at Juaben and Bankoro at Bomfa all in the Municipality.

Briefing the press after a treatment exercise Mr. Jacob Amoah, Municipal Pharmacist in Ejisu-Juaben, said the disease which caused its victims to pass bloody urine was widespread in the area. He appealed to the municipal assembly and the traditional council to enact a bye-law to prevent people from swimming in infested streams to avoid re-infection.

Mr. Amoah said a follow-up after one month of treatment indicated that about 86 percent of the victims had been cured.