Accra, 16 February 2016 – WHO has deployed a team of four members to work with the Ministry of Health in Ghana and Ghana Health Service to confirm through serotyping the bacterial type of meningitis causing the outbreak in the country. This follows reports of meningitis outbreak in a number of districts in Ghana with streptococcus pneumoniae being the bacteria identified in many cases.

“The team, composed of a molecular microbiologist, 2 clinical microbiologists, a clinical epidemiologist and a data Manager from the WHO collaborating Reference Laboratory in Gambia, are here to work with Ghana health authorities at national, regional and district levels to establish the type of bacterial meningitis to guide the response to this outbreak”, Says Dr Owen Kaluwa, WHO Representative for Ghana. 

“The Ministry of Health and WHO identified the main causative agent of the current meningitis outbreak as Streptococcus pneumoniae, few cases of Neisseria meningitis were also identified. There is urgent need for further laboratory investigations and analysis to establish the specific sero-types of the bacterial meningitis that we are dealing with”, adds Dr Kaluwa. 

Since the team arrived into the country, they have processed 108 cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) samples, distributed laboratory consumables, reagents and equipment and visited two Research Laboratories of Noguchi Memorial Institute and Kumasi Center for Collaborative Research (KCCR) to discuss their work in confirming and serotyping bacterial meningitis. The team also assessed and strengthened the capacity of five Clinical Laboratories in diagnostic tests specifically for meningitis, these include: Sunyani Regional Hospital, Methodist Hospital Wenchi, Jaman North Hospital, Tain District Hospital and Holy Family Hospital Techiman. 

Quality control media were also prepared, bacteriology standard operating procedures (SOPs) and quality control documents were distributed and on-the-bench training for laboratory technologists in Gram staining, microbiologic culture of CSF from suspected cases and latex serotyping was conducted.                                                                                                  

The WHO team will continue to work with national laboratory personnel to collect, process and test CSF samples using Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to ensure optimal molecular testing, conduct laboratory assessments and provide in house training (Gram staining, Microbiologic culture of CSF from suspected cases in Jaman North. Together with the Ministry of Health and Centre for Disease Control (CDC), the team will work to ensure integrity and testing of samples being collected from the field.

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For more information on this article, please contact:

Ms Pauline Ajello, Communication and Advocacy Officer, WHO Ghana +233503397476, Email: ajellopa [at] who.int (ajellopa[at]who[dot]int)

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Below (photo credits | WHO):

Photo 1: Clinical microbiologists processing samples of suspected meningitis cases

Photo 2: The Deputy Director of Public Health of Brong-Ahafo Region receiving a donation of laboratory supplies for Sunyani Regional Hospital

Photo 3: WHO donates laboratory supplies to Methodist Hospital Wenchi in Brong-Ahafo Region