Commercial sex workers educated on Mpox disease in Sekondi

The Ghana Red Cross Society has educated commercial sex workers operating within the Sekondi railway station enclave on the causes and modes of transmission of Mpox disease.

Mr Dominic Bentum, the District Officer of the Ghana Red Cross Society, said the sensitisation exercise involved five volunteers who worked closely with the Queen Mother of the group to seek permission, gain access, and mobilise members for the health education session.

He explained that although many of the women were on duty during the visit, a significant number participated in the programme, which targeted both sex workers and their customers. “We visited about 28 ladies, including their Queen Mothers and some of their clients,” he stated.

According to Mr Bentum, a majority of the sex workers were Nigerian nationals rendering services to men within the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis. He said the outreach sought to create awareness about Mpox, its symptoms, and preventive measures to help curb its spread in the community.

Some of the participants requested educational flyers to be posted in their rooms so that their customers could also learn about the disease and its transmission.

Mr Bentum, however, noted that the effectiveness of the sensitisation was hampered by a shortage of posters and volunteers. He appealed for more volunteers to join the outreach efforts to ensure broader public education and improved health outcomes.