A retrospective overview of factors that influence guinea worm epidemic in northern region of Ghana

Abstract

This article retrospectively examines the factors which caused Guinea Worm Disease (Dracunculiasis) to spread to epidemic levels, so as to serve as the basis for formulating a national preventive agenda to reinforce the preventive measures which have been put in place to prevent the disease from re-emerging. The hybrid conceptual framework of disease diffusion and disease ecology was used. The mixed method research design was used to collect data from a total of 11 administrative districts. Primary data was obtained from a total of 860 respondents. To achieve a representative distribution of respondents, they were proportionately selected with respect to the populations of their respective districts. A key Informant interview was conducted. It was found that the major cause of the disease was attributed to poor access to potable water. Others were difficulty in getting ground water, populations preferring surface sources of drinking water, all year round contact with perennial surface sources of drinking water, and the “knee deep level” culture of fetching clean water from surface sources. It was concluded that cultural practices, environmental conditions, climatic influences, and real/imagined perceptions on the quality of water influenced the spread of the disease. It was recommended that government health institutions should make efforts at determining the factors that make populations vulnerable to diseases. The policy implication is that government will have to commit resources to provide people with the information and equipment they need to interact with their biophysical environment.

Keywords: Drinking Water, Underground Water, Climate, Culture, Epidemic