Kwaku Agyeman Manu, Health Minister-designate

The Ministry of Health (MoH) says it has detected poliovirus type 2 in the environment in Tamale in the Northern Region of Ghana which constitutes a public health emergency.

As a result, the ministry has detailed field investigations to identify possible source of infection and determine the extent of geographic spread.

In a statement signed and issued by the Chief Director of the ministry on Wednesday, July 10, the MoH explained that the virus was detected through routine surveillance in collaboration with the Ghana Health Service (GHS) and confirmed by the Noguchi Memorial Institute of Medical and Research Centre (NMIMR).

This, the ministry said constitutes a public health emergency.

Below is a copy of the statement issued by the MoH on the public health emergency.