Dr. Marion Okoh-Owusu addressing the media
A vaccination campaign across seven targeted districts in the Western Region has led to the significant reduction in Mpox cases in the region.
Dr. Marion Okoh-Owusu, the Western Regional Director of Ghana Health Service (GHS), disclosed this at a media engagement to brief journalists on the Mpox situation in the region.
She disclosed that a total of 15,859 out of an initial target of 19,600 individuals have been vaccinated against the disease across the seven districts, which are Effia-Kwesimintsim, Ellembelle, Nzema East, Prestea Huni-Valley, Sekondi-Takoradi, Tarkwa-Nsuaem, and Wassa Amenfi East.
She also mentioned that the recovery rate showed that the response measures put in place by the health authorities against the Mpox disease were effective and producing the desired results.
Dr. Marion Okoh-Owusu disclosed that as at the end of Thursday, December 11, 2025, the region had recorded three suspected cases, with no new confirmed cases.
She said the region’s cumulative case count also stood at 1,060 suspected, 399 confirmed, and 391 recoveries, with three deaths.
She noted that the regional health directorate has a grip on Mpox, adding, “The cases have reduced significantly, following the vaccination exercise, and we want to make sure that this outbreak comes to an end.”
Dr. Okoh-Owusu urged the citizenry to continue to adhere to the Mpox preventive protocols, saying, “People should listen to health education and messages that had been designed to help break the chain of transmission within communities.”
“We are asking our communities not to let their guards down and adhere to transmission-based precautions such as washing of hands frequently, use of alcohol-based sanitisers, and avoid close contact with persons who have been confirmed of having the Mpox disease,” she pointed.
The Regional Health Director also encouraged people to avoid stigmatising recovered Mpox patients, noting that such acts could prevent those with signs and symptoms of the disease from seeking medical attention at the nearest health facilities.
She also commended the front-line health team for their continuous resilience and commitment in ensuring that the surveillance and monitoring systems put in place to combat the spread of the disease were yielding positive results.
Dr. Okoh-Owusu thanked the World Health Organisation (WHO) for providing financial and technical support to the Regional Health Directorate to undertake its activities to fight the Mpox outbreak in the region.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi