There Is Optimism About Use Of 'Abate' in Guineaworm Eradication

Tamale (N/R) The Ministry of Health has expressed optimism that mass trials of abate, a chemical used in checking guineaworm cyclops on infected water bodies, will prove potent in eradicating the disease in the country. The ministry said slow release trials on pilot basis at Salvelugu in the Salvelugu-Nanton district have produced encouraging results prompting officials of the guineaworm eradication progrmme to extend the exercise to other endemic areas at the end of the experiment in July. Mr Patrick Apoya, deputy northern regional co-ordinator of the eradication programme, told newsmen in Tamale today that after five days of trials over 10 litres of water, the result indicated that the cyclops have reduced from over 4,000 to about 125. He said the result of the trials will greatly enhance efforts to counter the unexpected large numbers of guineaworm cases which have surfaced in the Gushiegu-Karaga district. Mr Apoya said between January and March this year a total of 4,536 rpt 4,536 new cass were reported in the country as compared to the 4,877 for the whole of last year. This has put Ghana second after sudan as the most endemic country. The Northern region accounts for 80 per cent of the cases with Gushiegu-Karaga making up for 50 per cent of this number. Gri