Banhart Specialist Hospital Nurse- Ophelia Twenewaa-Yarso participated in a two-day professional development workshop at Glamossey Hotel on Monkeypox Awareness and Prevention organised by the Ghana Health Service (Integrated Disease Surveillance And Response (IDSR) Team in Ghana. The programme organized on the 19th to 20th August 2025 enhanced participants’ capabilities in epidemiology, clinical recognition, diagnostics, infection prevention and control (IPC), and outbreak management to directly strengthen health facility and community readiness.
Objectives
- Build a working understanding of Monkeypox epidemiology and transmission.
- Improve clinical assessment and diagnostic pathways, including diagnosis.
- Reinforce prevention, control, and response protocols
Session Summaries
Day 1 Morning session focused on Epidemiology and Transmission.
Monkeypox is a viral zoonosis transmitted through close contact with infected animals or humans, including exposure to skin or mucosal lesions, bodily fluids, respiratory droplets, or contaminated materials (fomites). While historically endemic in parts of Africa, sporadic cases have been detected globally in recent years, reinforcing the need for heightened vigilance, rapid case detection, and timely reporting to public-health authorities.
The afternoon session focused on the clinical presentation of Monkeypox and the diagnostic approach, including case recognition, testing pathways, and differential considerations.
Clinical features commonly include fever, headache, lymphadenopathy, and a characteristic progressive vesiculo-pustular rash. Accurate diagnosis depends on a combination of careful clinical assessment, laboratory confirmation, and a detailed exposure or contact history. Differential diagnoses to consider include varicella (chickenpox), historic smallpox, and other rash illnesses that may present with overlapping signs and symptoms.
Day 2: the final session covered prevention and control, including vaccination strategies, practical measures and operational actions required to implement them effectively.
Vaccination: Prior smallpox vaccination confers protection; eligibility and deployment follow Ministry of Health/GHS guidance.
IPC measures: Hand hygiene, appropriate PPE, patient isolation, environmental cleaning, and safe waste management are essential.
Public health actions: Case notification, contact tracing, surveillance, and coordinated outbreak response reduce transmission and protect service capacity.
Key Learnings
- Early recognition and prompt testing are critical to case management and containment.
- Consistent IPC adherence across triage, isolation, and discharge protects patients and staff.
- Vaccination (where indicated) and public health interventions are central to outbreak control.
- Clear communication channels between facilities and the IDSR network accelerate decision-making.
Recommendations for Practice
- Maintain high suspicion for compatible rash illness with systemic symptoms; apply case definitions rigorously.
- Implement standard, contact, and droplet precautions; isolate suspected/confirmed cases per protocol.
- Report suspected or confirmed cases without delay through IDSR channels.
- Ensure patients and caregivers understand and follow home or facility isolation requirements.
- Continue staff training on specimen collection, PPE use, and environmental decontamination.
The workshop offered a comprehensive, practice-oriented overview of Monkeypox awareness and prevention, equipping participants with the knowledge and skills to recognise, diagnose, and manage cases effectively. The programme also underscored the critical role of collaboration and coordination among healthcare professionals, public health authorities, and the community. Banhart Specialist Hospital continues to reinforce our commitment to keeping our workforce continuously up to date so we can deliver specialised, high-quality care.