Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire plot fight against Mpox, Cholera outbreaks

Health officials from Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire convened for a three-day cross-border conference aimed at forging stronger ties in disease surveillance and improving early warning systems.
Organised by the West Africa Health Organisation (WAHO), the meeting brought together experts from both nations to share updates on their efforts to combat communicable diseases, particularly focusing on the recent Mpox and cholera outbreaks.

Assessing regional health threats
At the conference, officials from the two countries provided detailed reports on their current status in the fight against various communicable diseases.
In addition to Mpox and cholera, discussions covered recent outbreaks of the Zika virus, dengue fever, measles, rubella, cerebrospinal meningitis (CSM), and the Marburg virus, which have affected nations as far afield as Mali and Nigeria.
These discussions underscored a vital point made by the Western Regional Health Director, Dr. Yaw Ofori Yeboah, who chaired the meeting.
He stressed that “recent experiences within the sub-region serve as a reminder that epidemic-prone diseases do not respect borders.”
He warned that no country, especially those sharing common borders like Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, is safe without effective collaboration, highlighting the need to strengthen partnerships through experience-sharing and networking.

Expanding collaborative efforts
Dr. Ofori Yeboah urged participants to explore ways of expanding collaboration between the two nations by identifying specific challenges, lessons, and best practices to strengthen action planning after the workshop.
This joint effort is crucial as both countries work to refine early warning and response strategies, ensuring they remain prepared for potential health threats.
In a presentation on the epidemiological situation in Ghana, Dr. Lawrence Lartey, National Coordinator of Port Health at the Ghana Health Service, revealed that 561 cholera cases have been confirmed this year—out of 6,405 suspected cases—resulting in 47 deaths.
He noted that health officials have traced 12,873 contacts, with 12,586 completing the 5-day follow-up regime, and about 165 cases have been successfully diagnosed from these contacts.

Operational collaboration and information sharing
In an interview with The NewsCenta, Dr. Lartey explained, “Viruses and diseases cross the borders with human beings and animals, so that is why WAHO decided that we should come together and collaborate. We already collaborate operationally, but this meeting is about sharing experiences and learning the best practices.”
Participants expressed optimism that the collaboration would result in an actionable plan to strengthen cross-border disease prevention and control efforts.

Positive developments amid challenges
On a more positive note, Dr. Azumah Abdul Tawab, a public health specialist with the Ghana Health Service, reported that there have been no confirmed cases of Mpox in Ghana so far in 2025, despite suspected cases in 10 of the 16 regions.
This news provided a welcome relief amid ongoing concerns about multiple infectious diseases.

Building lasting partnerships
Dr. Obio Mathias, representing the Ivorian team, commended WAHO for organizing the workshop. “It is a good opportunity for closer collaboration between the two nations, since there was no platform for collaboration and information-sharing between Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire prior to this,” he said.
He added that while it is important to share how each country works and the systems they have developed, the Ghanaian officials and their Ivorian counterparts did not know each other before.
“Now, however, we will exchange contacts and correspondence for greater collaboration in the future,” Dr. Mathias concluded.
This cross-border initiative marks an important step toward enhancing regional health security and underscores the critical importance of collaboration in tackling epidemic-prone diseases that transcend national boundaries.
From SELORM GBORBIDZI, Takoradi-WR