Mr Clifford Vengkungmwini, the Sissala East Municipal Director of Health administration has called on stakeholders in the Risk Communications and Emergency Committee to intensify community education on key public health concerns on Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccination, meningitis, and typhoid fever.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting in Tumu on risk communication and emergency, Mr Vengkunmwini reiterated the need for coordinated health communication within the municipality to ensure that accurate information reached all corners of the community.
He said: “We invited you here today to discuss three important health issues- HPV vaccination, meningitis and typhoid. As members of the risk communication team, it is our collective duty to spread the right information and educate to the public.”
Mr Venkunmwini revealed that the HPV vaccination campaign, which began on October 7, 2026, had officially ended, but tether vaccination exercise would continue as part of routine immunization for girls aged nine to 14 years.
He commended the Ghana Education Service (GES) and other partners for their collaboration during the exercise.
According to Mr Vengkunwwini, the campaign recorded a high acceptance rate among parents and young girls in the Sissala East municipality, a success he attributed to strong community engagement and public education through media and health workers.
“There was a great rush for the vaccine, meaning that our education worked. The vaccine is very safe and effective in preventing cervical cancer in women. We recorded only a few mild reactions, which were promptly reported to the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA),” he said.
He further explained that the HPV vaccine targets girls between nine and 14 years because that age group is usually not yet sexually active, making vaccination most effective in preventing future cervical cancer infections.
On meningitis, Mr Vengkunwwini cautioned residents to be alert as the dry harmattan season approaches, the period when cases of cerebrospinal meningitis (CSM) typically rise.
He urged the public to avoid overcrowded areas, sleep in well-ventilated rooms, and report early symptoms to the health facilities.
On typhoid fever, the health director expressed concern about increasing cases across the municipality.
He attributed the rise to poor hygiene and unsafe food practices.
“Typhoid spreads mainly through contaminated food and water. When you are diagnosed with typhoid, it means you have ingested faecal matter. Let’s ensure that what we eat and drink is clean, wash our hands frequently, and minimize eating from unhygienic sources,” he advised.
Mr Vengkungmwini also appealed to committee members to use their various platforms whether in schools, churches, mosques, or local associations to amplify public health messages, particularly where funding limitations have prevented broader outreach activities.
Mr Rahaman Obeng, the Sissala East Disease Control Officer, observed that the transmission of diseases such as typhoid was high in the Sissala East due to high levels of open defecation. He advised for regular hand washing with soap under running water each time one visited the toilet.
Some of the stakeholders were concerned about water quality in the Municipality, the haphazard burial of the dead and how frequent food vendors were screened before selling food to the public.
They tasked the Food and drugs authority and the environmental health to ensure timely licensing operators.
The meeting called for continued stakeholder collaboration to strengthen community awareness and preventive health behaviour across the Sissala East Municipality.
GNA
