Surveillance data analysis of diarrhoea diseases in children under five years, Savannah Region, Ghana, 2017 – 2021

Abstract

Introduction: Diarrhoea constitutes a significant cause of morbidity and mortality among children under five, globally. The disease situation among children under five in the Savannah Region has not been studied. This study described diarrhoea morbidity data to determine the distribution of cases among children under five years in the Savannah Region of Ghana. Method: We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study using diarrhoea data of children under five extracted from the health system database from 2017 to 2021. The data was exported to Microsoft Excel 2019 and STATA 15.1 for analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to express the results as frequencies, percentages, and rates. We plotted the cases month-by-month for each year to determine seasonality. Results: A total of 90,381 cases of diarrhoea were reported, with the highest cases among children aged 12-59 months, 61,745 (68.3%). Most cases were among males, 47,160 (52.2%). Cases declined with the highest incidence in 2017 and lowest in 2020, 244 and 126 per 1000 persons, respectively. Bole district recorded the highest incidence (618 per 1000 persons in 2017). Two major peaks were recorded in January and June, with minor peaks in March and August. Rainfall did not significantly influence diarrhoea pattern (p>0.05). A five-year forecast projected a decrease in cases from approximately 11400 in 2022 to about 4300 cases by 2026. Conclusion: Children within the age category 12-59 months and males accounted for most cases. The study illustrated seasonal variations in diarrhoea diseases, with cases in both the wet and dry seasons. All districts were affected, with the Bole having the highest burden. Cases are projected to decrease over the next five years. Health officials should strengthen surveillance and sustain interventions to reduce the incidence of diarrhoea in the region.