The Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Prof. Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, has called on the Navrongo Health Research Centre and other research institutions to intensify efforts toward ending deaths caused by meningitis.
According to Prof. Akoriyea, research institutions must take the lead in developing practical, evidence-based solutions to eliminate meningitis-related deaths.
While acknowledging the difficulty in completely stopping the spread of the disease, he stressed the need to focus on strategies that can end mortality.
He described the centuries-long toll of meningitis as unacceptable, noting that despite years of medical advancement, deaths from the disease persist.
Prof. Akoriyea made the call during an engagement with staff of the Navrongo Health Research Centre as part of his tour of Ghana’s meningitis belt in the Upper East Region.
He expressed optimism that through dedicated research and innovation, institutions can help bring an end to preventable deaths associated with the condition.
Meningitis is an inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. It is commonly caused by bacterial, viral, fungal, or parasitic infections. Symptoms include stiff neck, vomiting, severe headache, and high fever.
The disease can lead to permanent complications such as hearing loss and vision impairment, and in severe cases, death. Immediate medical attention at a health facility is critical.
The Northern, Upper West, and Savannah Regions have already recorded meningitis-related deaths this year, a development the Director-General described as deeply concerning and requiring urgent intervention.
Addressing the researchers, Prof. Akoriyea urged scientists to lead the charge in ending meningitis fatalities.
“I want the research centers especially that of Navrongo to come out and tell us exactly why this seasonal thing and why people are dying. We want evidence-based. We don’t want hear say so that we put an end to this. We might not be able to stop meningitis as a disease, but we should be able to stop the deaths. And the issue is that every year, the same time, the same months, the same temperatures, the same human beings, and for over 100 years, we sit and watch people die. So, among all the research you do, Meningitis should be among so that we stop the deaths,” he stated emphatically.
He also encouraged members of the public to report promptly to health facilities at the first sign of illness.
The Director-General assured that treatment for meningitis will be fully covered by the government.
