Baku:Upper West A five-day yellow fever vaccination campaign is set to begin on October 14 in three districts of Ghana's Upper West Region after confirmed cases of the disease and unexplained deaths in the Sissala area. The campaign targets individuals aged nine months to 60 years in the Sissala East, Sissala West, and Wa West districts.
According to Ghana Web, the campaign is organized by the Upper West Regional Health Directorate and will run until October 18, 2026. The Directorate has completed training for vaccinators and urged residents to participate in the vaccination to protect themselves and their communities.
The initiative follows reports from KumasiMail.com about over 30 deaths in the Fulbe community within Sissala East Municipality, initially of unknown cause. The deaths, some recorded at local health facilities, had raised alarm among residents, especially those near the Burkina Faso border. Municipal Health Director Mr. Veng Clifford confirmed that the reports had been sent to higher health authorities for investigation.
The situation escalated with the confirmation of yellow fever cases in the region. A separate report on October 9 by KumasiMail confirmed three cases of yellow fever and 74 suspected cases. Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh stated that a National Rapid Response Team was deployed to enhance disease surveillance and manage the outbreak.
This vaccination drive aims to protect the population in the affected districts and prevent the disease's spread. The Regional Health Directorate is calling for cooperation from residents with vaccination teams and encouraging them to seek information from health officials as containment efforts intensify.