The Oti Regional Minister, John Kwadwo Gyapong, has revealed that he was recently diagnosed with typhoid, highlighting a growing health crisis in the region.
Speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, Mr. Gyapong disclosed that he had never contracted typhoid until he assumed office and relocated to Dambai. He fell seriously ill last week, requiring a doctor to stay with him for three days to administer treatment.
“This situation is very worrying. Since I was born, I have never been diagnosed with typhoid. But after settling in Dambai as Regional Minister, I was diagnosed just last week,” he lamented.
The Minister stressed that his personal ordeal reflects a broader health emergency in Oti.
He revealed that typhoid cases have surged dramatically in recent years—from 19,943 cases in 2021 to 47,217 in 2024. In just the first half of 2025, the region has already recorded 22,216 confirmed cases.
He also recounted the tragic deaths of two Municipal Chief Executives in 2022 and 2023 due to typhoid. “Just the day after a recent programme, a prominent chief in Dambai lost his life to the disease before he could be rushed to the hospital,” he said.
Mr. Gyapong attributed the crisis to environmental challenges and poor access to basic social amenities. Many communities in Oti lack clean drinking water, hospitals, toilets, and other essential infrastructure, leaving residents vulnerable to preventable diseases.
“The reality is that people in this region are deprived of safe water and basic facilities, and this is putting our lives at risk,” he stressed, urging urgent interventions to address the situation.
Source: Gertrude Otchere
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