Grand Bassa County: Whooping Cough Outbreak – One Dies, Over 300 Infected

Buchanan  – At least one child has died and over 300 infected by whooping cough in District Two, Grand Bassa County.

Report By Elton Wrionbee Tiah, FPA Contributor

According to reports, these cases have been discovered in Kpawootroh Town, Gargar Town and several other towns within the district.

The outbreak is happening in an area bordering Margibi County, and reports suggest that several cases have also been discovered there.

Alexander P. M. Joe,  Officer in Charge of District #2 health center, confirmed to FrontPage Africa that they discovered that there’s an increase of the diseases in the area, with a several hundred children already infected.

“Since January this year,  most the babies that we have been treating have been affected with whooping cough and as a result of that one child has died already,” Joe told an FPA reporter who visited the area.

“The sign and symptoms of whooping cough are red eye and uncontrollable cough as well as constant running down of tears.

“We have communicated with the Grand Bassa County Health team about the situation but we are hopeful that they are going to help in the soonest possible time “.

He warned that if nothing is done quickly,  there could be further in the number of cases, which may caused more deaths.  

“The lack of drugs is a major problem at this health center but it is a nationwide issue.  We are hoping that the Ministry of Health intervene quickly as to have the lives of over 300 babies saved,” the OIC stressed.

Francess Gardea , a mother of four children, also confirmed that the lives of her kids are at serious risk.

“My son is also affected with this same whooping cough; I am worrying because one child has died already. I don’t want my son to leave me,” she said.

“I am calling on all the health institutions to come to our aid before this disease goes out of hand”.

Daniel Floe,  another parent who two of children are infected, is also worried that the current challenges facing the health sector would make it difficult to seek referral treatment in Buchanan city.

Whooping cough is also described as ” Pertussis” which means a serious respiratory infection caused by a type of bacteria called ” Bordetella pertussis.”

The outbreak comes as the major referral hospital in the county’s capital – the Liberian government hospital –  faces enormous challenges and is struggling to keep its doors open to patients.

There are lots of challenges ranging from the lack of fuel allotment and essential drug so we are constrained, said Dr. Abraham Jawara, Medical Director of the hospital.

Last week, Dr. Jawara warned that outpatients were told to purchase their own drugs while inpatients have already been asked to transfer to other health centers.