Tamale, Dec 15, GNA- Mr Moses Dani-Baah, Deputy Minister of Health, said on Monday that the government has authorized the release of 1.4 billion cedis out of the HIPC Fund for the provision of boreholes in the Northern Region next year.

He said the provision of potable water would facilitate the eradication of guinea worm disease in the rural communities. Mr Dani-Baah was addressing the review/planning meeting of the Ghana Guinea worm Eradication Programme.

The review meeting brought together representatives from the Ghana Heath Service, District Chief Executives, personnel from the Ministry of Health UNICEF, WHO and Global 2000.

Mr Dani-Baah expressed regret that the eradication of the guinea worm disease in the country is long overdue and appealed to health workers to put in extra efforts to ensure the total eradication of the disease within two years.

Mr Dani-Baah said in 1994 Ghana came close to eliminating guinea worm but there had been a resurgence in recent times. Dr Andrew Seidu Korkor, National Coordinator of the Programme, said from January to September Ghana recorded 6,260 guinea worm cases, representing an increase of 73 per cent as compared to 3,622 cases recorded for the same period last year.

He said out of the reported cases of guinea worm this year in the 110 districts of the country, the Northern and Volta regions accounted for 88 per cent.

Dr Korkor said the Programme, in collaboration with the Ghana Red Cross Society, had put in place 6,200 women guinea worm volunteers in 15 endemic villages to facilitate early detection, management and reporting of cases.

In addition the Programme had recruited technical assistants, National Service personnel and United States Peace Corps Volunteers to help strengthen supervision at the district level. The Northern Regional Minister, Mr Ernest Debrah, said majority of the population in the region do not have access to potable water and this has contributed to guinea worm infestation and other water borne diseases.

He said the Regional Coordinating Council (RRC) has directed all the 13 district assemblies in the region to make budgetary provision in the 2004 annual estimates to support the Guinea worm Eradication Programme. Mr Debrah said in spite of the strenuous efforts the government is making and the huge resources that the donor community are prepared to commit to the eradication of the disease, little success would be achieved without peace. "Conflicts are a major contributory factor to poverty and disease in the region. We cannot reach our dream destination in an atmosphere of insecurity, uncertainty and violence."

Madam Nwando Diallo, Resident Technical Adviser of Global 2000, said her organisation would continue to provide technical and financial support to the programme and solicit for both local and international assistance to promote the programme.

She called for collaboration between the donor partners and the Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA) on alternative low-cost methods of sourcing safe water for the rural people.

Mr Prince M. Mahama, Programme Officer of UNICEF, said the Fund is compiling a database for the provision of water for guinea worm endemic villages.

The Fund would also advocate for the inclusion of guinea worm issues in the water and sanitation training modules to promote community level participation, he said.