Ghana’s Health Minister, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, is set to appear before Parliament today, Tuesday, February 18, to provide critical updates on the nation’s escalating cholera and cerebrospinal meningitis (CSM) outbreaks.
The session comes at the urgent request of Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, who represents the Efutu constituency—one of the regions hardest hit by the health crises. First Deputy Speaker Bernard Ahiafor formally summoned the minister last week, demanding clarity on containment strategies and the government’s response to the dual emergencies.
Afenyo-Markin’s appeal underscores growing anxieties over gaps in public health interventions, particularly in communities lacking access to clean water and sanitation infrastructure. Cholera, a waterborne bacterial infection causing severe dehydration and death if untreated, has surged in areas with inadequate hygiene facilities. Official figures reveal over 6,000 suspected cholera cases nationwide since the outbreak began, with more than 500 confirmed infections. The Greater Accra Region accounts for nearly half of these cases, highlighting urban vulnerabilities tied to overcrowding and poor waste management.
Meanwhile, the Upper West Region faces a parallel crisis with a spike in CSM, a deadly form of bacterial meningitis transmitted through respiratory secretions. The disease, which inflames the brain and spinal cord, has a fatality rate of up to 50% when untreated, according to the World Health Organization. Akandoh’s recent field visits to outbreak zones—including the Western, Central, and Greater Accra regions for cholera, and Upper West for meningitis—signal efforts to assess frontline responses. However, critics argue delayed action and resource shortages have hampered containment.
Today’s parliamentary briefing is expected to address these concerns head-on, with lawmakers pressing for transparency on vaccine distribution, treatment accessibility, and long-term prevention plans. Public health experts warn that without swift, coordinated measures, the outbreaks could overwhelm Ghana’s healthcare system, particularly in rural and peri-urban areas. The minister’s update will likely emphasize emergency protocols, but lingering questions remain about systemic fixes for the root causes: chronic underinvestment in sanitation infrastructure and uneven healthcare access.
As Ghana grapples with these preventable diseases, the situation echoes broader challenges across West Africa, where climate change, urbanization, and weak public health networks amplify outbreak risks. For now, all eyes are on Parliament—and whether the government’s promises will translate into lifesaving action.
