The Deputy Minister of Health, Professor Dr. Grace Ayensu-Danquah, has received a joint mission team from the World Health Organization (WHO) on behalf of the Ministry of Health to provide updates on Mpox response efforts in Western Region.
The team’s discussions focused on critical areas such as monitoring and tracking Mpox cases to identify trends and patterns, amid concerns that the Western Region accounts for 71% of the country’s confirmed cases.
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is a viral disease that affects both humans and animals with Ghana recording over 500 cases with one fatality.
Prof. Ayensu-Danquah highlighted the coordinated efforts of the Ghana Health Service and the Western Regional Health Directorate to contain the outbreak.
These measures include enhanced surveillance, public sensitization, and vaccination plans, in line with President John Dramani Mahama’s commitment to strengthening healthcare delivery in Ghana.
The Deputy Minister noted that the situation is being closely monitored, with authorities working to bolster healthcare infrastructure and response capabilities.
She added that the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, together with WHO, have developed a joint Continental Response Plan to guide outbreak control, expand vaccination coverage, and transition to sustainable response efforts across the region.
