Health authorities in Ghana’s Upper West Region have begun a five-day yellow fever vaccination campaign after an outbreak affected seven of the region’s 11 districts.
The reactive exercise, led by the Upper West Regional Health Directorate of the Ghana Health Service, is taking place from 14 to 18 October 2026 in Wa West, Sissala West and Sissala East.
It is open to eligible people aged from nine months to 60 years in the three targeted districts. Officials say the campaign is intended to strengthen immunity, limit further transmission and protect communities at greater risk from the outbreak.
The scale of the situation has increased concern among residents across the region. Of the 450 suspected yellow fever cases reported nationally, 88 have come from Upper West.
Three laboratory-confirmed cases have reportedly resulted in deaths.
Health officials are calling on people in the selected communities to attend vaccination centres and participate in the campaign. They say high levels of community involvement will be important in controlling the spread of the disease.
Yellow fever is a viral infection transmitted to people through the bites of infected mosquitoes. It can lead to serious illness and, in the most severe cases, organ failure and death.
Early symptoms may include a sudden fever, severe headache, muscle and joint pain, nausea or vomiting, weakness and tiredness.
Patients with severe disease can develop yellowing of the skin or eyes, bleeding from the nose and mouth, and organ failure.
The Regional Health Directorate has urged residents to remain alert to possible symptoms and seek medical attention without delay if they become unwell.
The vaccination campaign is part of efforts to contain the outbreak, protect vulnerable people and prevent further deaths in the Upper West Region.
