A patient suffering from elephantiasis
Elephantiasis is fast spreading in the Sunyani Municipality, Robin Appiah, the municipal health promotion officer, has indicated.
He said 10 cases have been recorded so far and victims have been placed on life drugs.
Interacting with the chiefs and people of Atuahenekrom, Ohukrom, Kufuor Camp and Atronie in the municipality, Mr Appiah said the disease has no links with witchcraft, hereditary and family curse and it is rather caused and spread by a particular type of mosquito.
The municipal health promotion officer was among heads of departments who followed Mrs Evelyn Ama Kumi Richardson, the MCE for Sunyani, during her familiarisation visit to some communities in the municipality.
As a preventive measure, Mr Appiah said the municipal health directorate will soon distribute free drugs to residents in the communities to fight the disease.
He, however, added that the drugs are not good for pregnant women and advised the beneficiaries to avoid alcohol when taking them.
Whilst appealing to the people to take the drugs, Mr Appiah also challenged them to keep their surroundings clean at all times to avoid the spread of mosquitoes.
Mr Appiah mentioned chronic fever, unusual fatigue, loss of appetite, burning sensation of affected body part as some of the immediate symptoms of the disease and appealed to the general public to report to nearest health facilities for examination when such signs and symptoms are observed.