Regional News of Friday, 23 February 2007

Source: GNA

HEPPS headmaster dismisses CSM rumour

Hohoe, Feb 23, GNA, Mr. John M. K. Osei-Nyansah, Headmaster of Hohoe Evangelical Presbyterian Secondary School (HEPSS), has dispelled rumours in the Hohoe township that eight students of the school had died of Cerebro-Spinal Meningitis (CSM).

In an interview with the GNA, at Hohoe, Mr. Osei-Nyansah, said, however, that two students, Agodo Wisdom, second year and Baku Elijah, a third year student, died on different occasions at the Hohoe District Hospital.

When the GNA contacted Mr. Daniel Desire Affum, District Disease Control Officer, he said he in conjunction with the Hospital they carried out a search at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital Public Reference Laboratory on the deceased, which indicated that they died from headache and malaria and not CSM.

He said the District Disease Control Unit had educated the students on the symptoms of CSM, reminding the public that severe headache, stiff neck, malaria and vomiting remained the common signs of the disease. Mr. Affum advised students to report such symptoms to the nearest health facility immediately and cautioned school authorities to ensure proper ventilation and to ensure that dormitories were not congested.