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JICA supports
guinea worm eradication in Northern Region
Tamale, March 17, GNA- The Japanese International
Cooperation Agency (JICA) on Friday, presented motorcycles
valued at 200 million cedis to the Ministry of Local
Government, Rural Development and Environment, to support
guinea worm eradication in the Northern Region.
The five beneficiary districts are Savelugu/Nanton, Tolon/Kumbungu,
Tamale, East Gonja, and Yendi, all guinea worm endemic
areas.
Dr. Seidu Korkor, National Coordinator of the Guinea Worm
Eradication Programme, presented the motorcycles through the
Northern Regional Minister, Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris, in
Tamale.
The National Coordinator of the programme said guinea worm
disease had become a focal problem and limited mostly to the
Region, which recorded almost 90 per cent of all cases with
the five districts accounting for nearly 80 per cent of
reported cases.
He said guinea worm cases was on the decline in the region,
citing that in 2006, the disease was reported in 604
communities as compared to 1,017 communities in 2004 but
added that "Most of the cases reported were unfortunately in
the Tamale area."
Dr.Korkor said from January to February this year, a report
indicated that while 1,754 cases were recorded countrywide
1,199 cases, representing 68 per cent, came from Savelugu/Nanton
District, with Savelugu township alone accounting for over
35 per cent of the cases.
He said as part of efforts to stem the spread of the
disease, government, through the District Assemblies, had
engagement 'dam guards,' under the National Youth Employment
programme, to police all dams in the endemic areas.
Dr.Korkor also said the Assemblies have also enacted by-laws
to control human activities that militated against guinea
worm control programme.
He announced that the Information Service Department and the
Department of Community Development would soon begin tours
of guinea worm prone districts to sensitise the people about
the disease and the National Disaster Management
Organisation offices in the five districts had also been
asked to ensure the enforcement of the by-laws.
Alhaji Idris said President John Agyekum Kufuor had taken
the resurgence of the guinea worm disease in the country
very seriously, and he would soon appoint a Special
Assistant in charge of guinea worm eradication who would be
directly responsible to the President.
He said President Kufuor wanted the disease to be eradicated
from the country before the end of his tenure as President
and therefore urged all stakeholders in the eradication
exercise to be more pro-active.
The Regional Minister urged the officers who would be using
the motorcycles to handle them properly and ensure that they
were used for the intended purpose.
GNA
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