<![CDATA[Health workers are being trained to better handle intestinal complications arising from typhoid fever and to reduce post-operation deaths, through a three-day Surgical Typhoid Management Perforation (STMP) programme.
The programme, jointly organized by the University of Ghana and the Lunds University, Malmo- Sweden, forms part of preparations towards a four-year ‘typhoid perforation’ management study in Ghana, likely to be the largest such study in the World.
Dr. Banka Johnson, Coordinator of the research, said the study is aimed at exploring the effectiveness of the use of the `stoma care` technology, as an alternative to `traditional forms` of treating perforated bowels of typhoid patients. Intestinal perforation, commonly of the small bowel, is one of the most serious complications of typhoid fever and stoma care technology makes it possible for a bag to be used to collect the bowels through the abdominal walls.
“Everything (stool and other body wastes) is collected into the bag for about three to four months through a surgical opening made in the bowel wall. Supportive care during this period allows the patient to recover from the initial life-threatening sepsis and gives the intestines time to heal inside the body before the openings are reconnected to allow normal functioning of the bowels again,” explained Dr. Johnson.
Although the stoma care technology is used in Ghana for major surgeries, like cancer surgeries, it is seldom used for intestinal perforation surgeries. According to Dr. Johnson, most people often die as a result of the complications they suffer in the attempt to repairing and joining of their perforated intestines but not the perforation itself.
The study will involve over 350 patients, some of whom will be treated with the `stoma-care` technology and others through `traditional` means. The patients will then be observed over a one year period for conclusions to be drawn.
It will be funded locally by the Ghana Commercial Bank with support from other partners including Coloplast Pharmaceutical Company of Sweden and will include the Korle-bu Teaching Hospital, the Cape-Coast Teaching Hospital and the Eastern Regional Hospital as participating hospitals.
Christabel Thompson, a nurse at the Korle-bu Teaching Hospital and a participant in the programme, was hopeful that the insight gained on the new technology of managing typhoid could help reduce the mortality rate in Ghana.
“I have learnt a lot in the past three days about this condition because in Ghana, management of post-surgery intestinal perforation cases is sometimes problematic,” Ms. Thompson said. “I hope the best results will come out of this study.”
Dr. Foster Amponsah of the Koforidua Regional Hospital said the study results would influence how typhoid patients are treated in Ghana.
“We have long held that the stoma care may be a better way of managing patients, but this timely study will give us some facts to base any future actions on,” said Dr. Amponsah.
Typhoid fever is a bacterial infection of the intestinal tract and bloodstream and if untreated for three to four weeks may result in death. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), about 21.5 million typhoid cases are reported worldwide annually, with approximately about 600,000 resulting in deaths. Mortality rates from Typhoid range between 20 to 60 per cent in the West African sub-region.]]>
