Syphilis cases on the rise

Kumasi, May 5, GNA - The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has expressed concern about the increasing cases of Syphilis in most communities in the country especially among people between 40 and 50 years. Dr Thomas Agyarko-Poku, Ashanti Regional HIV/AIDS Co-ordinator, who expressed the sentiments, noted that the disease was more prevalent in the Central and Western Regions.

He was addressing District Directors of Health Services (DDHS), District Respond Initiatives (DRI) as well as Focal Persons on HIV/AIDS in the Ashanti Region during their first quarter meeting in Kumasi at the weekend.

The meeting aimed at discussing their proper roles in the fight against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and other diseases and adopts affective measures to prevent them.

Dr Agyarko-Poku said although Syphilis could be treated in all health centres and hospitals, peoples' attention were on the HIV/AIDS and therefore cautioned that if care was not taken, it could also become another national problem.

He challenged all stakeholders in the country to fight against the spread of this sexually transmitted disease. Mrs Felicia Dapaah, the Ashanti Regional Monitoring and Evaluation Focal Person on HIV/AIDS, urged Health personnel to liaise with District Assemblies in their bid to provide quality health delivery in the country.

Dr Osei Somuah, Obuasi Municipal Director of Health Service, stressed the need for religious bodies to be included in the effective planning towards the eradication and control of diseases such as HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and others. He advised them to be actively involved in educating the people about the dangers of such diseases and the need to prevent and control them at all the times.

The Municipal Director was not happy that funds for such interventions were not released on time resulting in rising incident of most preventable diseases. He, therefore, called on the government to release funds early to facilitate the work of District Health Directorates.