Yaws in Ghana.

The final results of a three-year campaign against yaws in the Republic of Ghana, which was introduced in an attempt to reduce an unusually high prevalence, are summarized. The campaign started in January 1981 and officially ended in December 1983. Serious economic and technical constraints slowed the progress of work after the first year and reduced the total population covered. In spite of the shortcomings, the program provided penicillin treatment to 77,818 patients with active yaws (4.04% of those examined during the campaign) as well as chemoprophylaxis for an additional 1,556,360 contacts. The campaign staff compiled detailed information on the epidemiology of yaws in Ghana. A second attack phase using simple equipment and vehicles such as motorcycles and bicycles could be implemented with greater efficiency and could reduce costs.

Impact of the control of endemic treponemal diseases in Ghana on other diseases.

A program for control of yaws and yellow fever in the Republic of Ghana was initiated with the aims of reducing the sharp increase in the prevalence of yaws and preventing epidemics of yellow fever. In addition, the program included health education and mass immunization with single doses of measles, tetanus, and tuberculosis vaccines. An evaluation of the first three years of the program indicates that the multidisciplinary approach has benefited a large segment of the population, which previously has had little or no access to medical care. This control program has also had an impact on other diseases and conditions.

Resurgence of yaws in Ghana.

This paper reports on the first 1 1/2 years of a new effort to control yaws in Ghana, where the disease has been resurgent since a previous mass campaign ended over 10 years ago.