Conference Abstract | Volume 9 (ConfProc7): Abstract 109 | Published: 13 Oct 2026
Samuel Adolf Bosoka1,2,&, Samuel Dapaa2, Magdalene. Odikro2, Joseph Yaw Jerela1,2, Amatus Nambagyira1, Maxwel Afetor1, Vector Zeng1, Hectoria Awekeya1, Senanu Kwasi Djokoto1, Emmanuel Atsu Dodor1, Denis Odai Laryea4, Franklin Asiedu-Bekoe5, Chrysantus Kubio2,3
1Volta Regional Health Directorate, Ghana Health Service, Ho, Ghana, 2Ghana Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme, Ghana, 3Northern Regional Health Directorate, Ghana Health Service, Tamale, Ghana, 4Disease Surveillance Department, Ghana Health Service, Accra, Ghana, 5Public Health Division, Ghana Health Service, Accra, Ghana
&Corresponding author: Samuel Adolf Bosoka; Ghana Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme, University of Ghana School of Public Health, Accra, Ghana; Email: samuelbosoka@gmail.com
Received: 29 Aug 2025, Accepted: 28 Oct 2025, Published: 13 Oct 2026
Domain: Infectious Disease Epidemiology
This is part of the Proceedings of the 8th Ghana FELTP Scientific Conference and FELTP Competency Graduation, Accra, Ghana, 10 – 11 December, 2025
Keywords: Cholera, resurgence, incidence rate, surveillance, Ghana
©Samuel Adolf Bosoka et al. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health (ISSN: 2664-2824). This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution International 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Cite this article: Samuel Adolf Bosoka et al. Resurgence of cholera in Ghana: Insights from institutional surveillance data, 2020-2024. Journal of Interventional Epidemiology and Public Health. 2026;9(ConfProc7):109. https://doi.org/10.37432/JIEPH-CONFPRO7-00109
The Global Roadmap for cholera aims to reduce deaths by 90% and eliminate the disease as a public health threat by 2030. Ghana continues to experience cholera outbreaks, with a major resurgence in August 2024. This study examined spatial and temporal trends and identified risk factors associated with transmission to guide preparedness and response strategies.
We conducted an analytical cross-sectional study using Ghana’s national cholera line-list from 2020 to 2024. Data were cleaned and analyzed in STATA 17. Incidence and case fatality rates (CFR) were calculated from reported cases and mid-year population data. A binary logistic regression, adjusted for education and contact with cholera cases, estimated odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals at p<0.05.
Of 5,288 suspected cholera cases over the period, 1,411 (26.7%) tested positive. The median age was 27 years (IQR: 18–37). Adults 20–29 years were most affected, 31% (438/1,411). Males formed 59.0% (832/1,411). Overall incidence was 46.3 per million (95% CI: 43.9–48.7), with a CFR of 1.6%. Western (347.9 per million) and Central (116.8 per million) regions were hotspots. Incidence rose sharply from 0.2 per million (95% CI: 0.1–0.4) in 2020 to 43.8 per million (95% CI: 41.6–46.2) in 2024. Risk factors were age 20–29 [aOR = 2.25, 95% CI: 1.66–3.06], age 30–39 [aOR = 2.61, 95% CI: 1.91–3.57], male sex [aOR = 1.26, 95% CI: 1.11–1.43], craft and skilled work [aOR = 5.59, 95% CI: 2.61–11.98], and trading [aOR = 1.31, 95% CI: 1.02–1.68].
Cholera has re-emerged in Ghana with rising incidence and a case fatality rate exceeding World Health Organization’s threshold. Transmission is concentrated in the Western and Central regions of Ghana, with traders, males, and young to middle-aged adults at higher risk. Ghana Health Service should collaborate with trade unions and artisans to promote cholera awareness and hygiene.
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