Ghana records 1,038 Mpox cases with 8 deaths - Health Minister tells Parliament
Ghana has recorded 1,038 confirmed cases of Mpox infections, with eight deaths as of March 3, this year, the Minister of Health has told Parliament.
The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, said the infections occurred largely among persons with underlying health conditions.
“124 districts across all regions, representing 47.51 per cent, have reported confirmed cases, with the Greater Accra and Western regions being the most affected,”he said.
Decline in cases
Responding to a question on the outbreak of Mpox infections in Ghana, Mr Akandoh said there was currently one case on admission, with no critical cases.
“Although sporadic cases have been recorded over the past two months, the overall trend shows a significant decline following the introduction of vaccination.
“Average weekly cases have reduced from 28 cases per week to seven cases per week,” he said.
He stated this when he answered a question by the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, who sought to know what immediate measures the ministry was implementing to contain the rising Mpox infections, which the Ghana Health Service had confirmed stood at 880 cases as of November 25, last year.
Coordinated response
The Health Minister said Mpox, a zoonotic infection, remained a public health concern globally and on the African continent.
Since the outbreak began in May 2025, the Ministry of Health, through the Ghana Health Service and with partner support, had activated a coordinated multisectoral response aimed at interrupting transmission and protecting public health, he said.
Mr Akandoh said a response was being implemented through strengthened coordination and emergency operations, intensified surveillance and contact tracing, with 21-day follow-up and sustained laboratory testing at the National Public Health Reference Laboratory, the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research and the Kumasi Centre for Collaborative Research.
Case management and infection prevention and control, he said, had also been reinforced, including supervised home isolation for mild cases and the management of moderate to severe cases in designated facilities, with support from the Ghana Infectious Disease Centre.
“In addition, risk communication and community engagement have been intensified through public education and engagement with community leaders, civil society and the media,” he said.
Vaccination
On vaccination, Mr Akandoh said reactive vaccination had been implemented in identified hotspots and among high-risk contacts.
Ghana, he said, received 33,600 Mpox vaccines from the Africa Centre for Disease Control and the World Health Organisation.
He added that 31,231 persons had been vaccinated across 12 districts in the Ashanti, Greater Accra and Western regions, achieving coverage exceeding 95 per cent of the target population.
“The government has further ensured that medical bills relating to patient care during this outbreak are covered by the state so that no cost is passed on to affected persons,” he said.
The MP for Juaboso told the House that Mpox was also no longer classified as a public health emergency of international concern.
“The government remains committed to sustaining the response and strengthening the country’s health security architecture and honourable members are encouraged to support the dissemination of accurate information to our people,” he appealed.
Care for recruitment victim
The minister also responded to a question by the MP for Kwadaso, Professor Kingsley Nyarko, who asked the measures the ministry was putting in place to expedite the treatment and recovery of Sandra Baafi Boateng, who was seriously injured and fell unconscious during the Ghana Armed Forces recruitment exercise held on November 12, last year at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium and had been on admission at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital till now.
Responding, Mr Akandoh assured the House that the ministry had actively engaged the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital to ensure that Miss Baafi Boateng received the requisite specialist care and that every necessary step was being taken to expedite her treatment and recovery.
He said the measures being implemented were to support her treatment and recovery, including ensuring that her medical bills were fully covered by the government so that no costs were passed on to the patient or her family.
“This has been complemented by comprehensive care delivered through a specialist-led multidisciplinary team, together with the required rehabilitation and related social support to optimise recovery,” he said.
The patient, he said, had been transferred to the 37 Military Hospital since February 26 this year for further management.
He said the government was also considering all appropriate medical options, both locally and, where necessary, abroad, to ensure that she received the best available care.
