Page 120 - Studia Universitatis Hereditati, vol 12(1) (2024)

contravened the rules was liable on conviction to 1942; PRAAD, Kumase, ARG.1/14/16, Report
imprisonment with or without hard labour for on Tsetse Survey of Mr. Egremont’s Land and
a term not exceeding three months (MAG, Ku- around Bekwai).
mase, MAG 1/1/85, Report of Dr. Saunders, 21st On 15 October 1941, Dr Saunders pro-
October, 1941). posed to make a preliminary survey in some of
the suburbs of Kumase namely, Patasi, Dakod-
General Screening and Inspection as Preventive wom, Kwadaso, Amakom, Aboabo, Dichemso
Health Care Strategies and New Tafo, Tafo, Suame, and Kaase to inves-
To eliminate trypanosomiasis in Asante, the tigate cases of trypanosomiasis. The team started
colonial authority resorted to general screening work on Monday, 20 October 1941. The sleeping
and inspection through the use of sanitary in- sickness survey team took blood tests of the in-
spectors. The inspection team consisted of na- habitants. They were charged not to take any fee
120 tive inspectors (village overseers) of at least six or render any tests or engage in any other medi-
in number, a special medical officer and sani- cal service apart from running of tests on sleep-
tary officers. Free transport was provided for ing sickness patients (MAG, Kumase, MAG
studia universitatis hereditati, letnik 12 (2024), številka 1 / volume 12 (2024), number 1
them to travel from village to village (MAG, 1/1/85, Report of Dr. Saunders, 21st October,
Kumase, MAG 1/1/35, Reports of the Medi- 1941). A comprehensive report was obtained at
cal Officer of health Kumase, 1942, PRAAD, the end of the survey. At Patasi, ninety-five peo-
Kumase, ARG.1/14/16, Tsetse Eradication-Ku- ple were examined but only two people were
rd
mase, 23 November, 1936 and PRAAD, Ac- found to be infected. Also, at Kwadaso one hun-
cra, ADM 11/1/156, Human Trypanosomia- dred and forty-five people were examined, and
sis Committee and best means of combating, seven people were found to be infected. One of
7
1935). The Medical Officer was given the judi- the infected persons was an Odikro , who has
cial powers to deal with all sanitary offences. been described in the archival document as an
The team was tasked to inspect various hous- old and feeble man. Another report which came
es, especially places that were close to bushes, in on 23 October 1941 stated that at Dakod-
including where animals were reared. Again, wom, seventy-three people were examined but
another special assignment given to the team two were discovered to be infected. At Asokwa
was to seek the isolation of persons with ad- one hundred and twenty people were examined,
vanced cases of trypanosomiasis. The effec- of whom eight were infected (MAG, Kumase,
tiveness of this strategy was demonstrated in MAG 1/1/85, Report of Dr. Saunders, 21st Oc-
1910 when a general inspection and screening tober, 1941).
was done in Odumase Zongo (MAG, Kumase, On 21 September 1943, Captain Hold-
MAG 1/1/35, Reports of the Medical Officer en R.A.M.C made a trypanosomiasis survey
of health Kumase, 1942; PRAAD, Kumase, at Kwadaso, Owhimasi, Adumanu, Kokoso,
ARG.1/14/16, Report on Tsetse Survey of Mr. Abase, Apatrapa, Bokankye, Tanoso, and Esuye-
Egremont’s Land and around Bekwai). During boa, all in Kumase and its environs. Other are-
the exercise, two females, named Kai and Adis- as included Ampabame, Abrepo, Boanim and
sa, were discovered to be infected with the dis- Yankomase. In this survey, reported cases were
ease. Inspectors noted that these two individ- treated at the African Hospital (MAG, Kumase,
uals had not received any medical treatment MAG 1/1/85, Report of Dr. Saunders, 21st Octo-
for the past month. Hence, their stay in Odu- ber, 1941). Also, the Military Authorities at the
masi was a major threat to the entire society. 52nd General Hospital carried out a survey on
They further ordered immediate medical care sleeping sickness in soldiers’ settlements such as
for them (MAG, Kumase, MAG 1/1/35, Re-
ports of the Medical Officer of health Kumase, 7 The head of a village or smaller community.