Uncomplicated malaria in 2023 emerged the leading cause of Out-Patient Department (OPD) visits to health facilities in the Ketu South Municipality with 27,115 total cases recorded.
Uncomplicated malaria, which delayed treatment could increase its severity, has symptoms like abnormal behaviour, seizures and coma, fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, headache, body aches and a general sense of illness.
This was disclosed at the 2023 annual performance review meeting by the Ketu South Health Directorate at Aflao to give feedback to stakeholders on its performance including successes and challenges as well as the way forward for 2024.
The details of the report, presented by Mr David Agbokpe, the Municipal Director of Health Services, showed that uncomplicated malaria was the leading cause of morbidity and the first among the top 10 OPD attendance in the Municipality.
This was followed by upper respiratory tract infection with 23,287 cases, which has seen a lot of intervention over the period.
The others were intestinal worm (15,015), rheumatism (acute joint pain) 11,676, anaemia (9,569), skin diseases (8,112), acute urinary tract infection (7,428), diarrhoea diseases (6,901), pneumonia (6,899) and typhoid fever (5,036).
Mr Agbokpe said the 2023 malaria cases were the highest to be recorded in five years by the Municipal Directorate.
In 2022, the total OPD malaria cases was 15,559 compared to 15,131 in 2021, with the previous 12,167 and 17,290 records respectively for 2020 and 2019.
The Municipality also saw the highest OPD attendance in 2023 (175,376) as against 144,529 in 2022, and 141,166 in 2021, as well as 131,535 in 2020, while 149,656 people were seen in 2019.
The Directorate hoped to control the disease through continuous education on preventive measures and interventions such as the distribution of long-lasting insecticide nets to the public and targeted groups like pregnant women and children below five years, Mr Agbokpe said.
Meanwhile, residents living along the coast in Keta and its adjoining communities have once again been hit with devastation caused by tidal waves.
Residents woke up on Friday morning only to be greeted by sea water in their homes, destroying already dilapidated structures after years of suffering from the tidal waves and its effects.
Some residents who spoke to Citi News say the situation has become unbearable and called for a solution to end the crisis.
“The tidal waves have since been worrying us. Last year, we had to suffer from this phenomenon and this year, we have started experiencing the same problems. We want the authorities to take urgent steps quickly to ensure this does not affect many people.
“We are also appealing for the dredging along the coast. It has been affecting our businesses as well. Trees here have also been submerged in the sea,” a resident lamented.
