Kadjebi District records 672 Typhoid fever cases, highest in three years

The Kadjebi District in the Oti Region has recorded 672 cases of Enteric fevers, also called Typhoid fever, in 2023 as against 370 in 2022 and 298 in 2021.

The high numbers recorded in 2023 is attributed to the increase in testing by the facilities around, especially the health centres.

Mr Stephen Amoah, a Public Health Officer with the Kadjebi District Directorate of the Ghana Health Service, disclosed this during the orientation of National Service Personnel at Kadjebi.

He said initially most people did not report and continued to do self-meditation and, thus, called on the public to report early symptoms of the disease for early treatment to avoid complications.

Mr Amoah, who is also the Deputy Health Promotion Officer, named poor sanitation as the risk factor to the disease and called on the public to cook food very well, eat warm food, and wash hands well, wash fruits with salt, and cover food from flies, among other things to avoid contracting the disease.

"Vaccination is the golden preventer of the disease," he added.

The Public Health Officer mentioned loss of appetite, abdominal pain, joint pain, diarrhea, headache, and rushes as some of the symptoms and advised early reporting for diagnosis to avoid complications.

He said the incubation period of the disease was five to 14 days and that the infected person would develop internal bleeding, swollen feet, and pneumonia, among others.

Mr Amoah advised Typhoid fever patients to take their drugs as prescribed by the physician.

He said: "Prevention is better than cure", so the populace should take preventative measures seriously to avoid contracting the disease.