The First Deputy Speaker of Parliament Bernard Ahiafor has directed Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh to brief Parliament on all the developments in the health sector with regards to the outbreak of diseases within one week.
“We need the Minister of Health to appear before the house within one week to brief the house on all the health issues raised on the floor”, he said on Tuesday, February 11.
The Speaker believes this will bring clarity on the matter and calm nerves over the increasing spread of cholera and cerebrospinal meningitis in the country.
The summon came after Minority Leader and MP for Effutu, Alexander Afenyo-Markin has addressed the House requesting the Minister to update the House on measures being taken by the government to contain the spread of the diseases.
He noted that over 400 cholera cases have been recorded in his Region, the Central region while 14 deaths have been reported from the cerebrospinal meningitis outbreak in the Upper West Region.
Alexander Afenyo Markin further called on the Ministry to deploy supportive staff to Winneba Health Facility to enable them to contain the outbreak to save the lives of his constituents.
“Mr Speaker it has been reported that 412 cases of outbreak of cholera in Effutu municipality have claimed three lives. Currently, we have the affected in the Winneba Municipal Hospital, the UEW Clinic and the Winneba Health Centre. Mr Speaker, the facilities there are very stressed. Most of these cases are coming from the shelves. The central government must immediately intervene to save lives.
“We also need supporting staff to be deployed to Winneba and the minister of health must direct other health professionals to enable them to contain the outbreak,” he remarked.
