Clear the filth to prevent devastating cholera in 2018 - GHS warns

The Director General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Anthony Nsiah-Asare has warned of an imminent cholera outbreak in Ghana this year with far more devastating consequences than what was experienced in 2014 and 2015, if nothing was done about the high level of filth that has engulfed major cities.

“Some of us are afraid for his year. As one will say, cholera outbreak looming.” he said whilst speaking at a sanitation forum organised by Graphic Communications Ghana Limited (GCGL) in Accra on Friday on the theme “Managing Sanitation: How to lift the nation from filth,”

In 2014 a total of 28,975 cholera cases with 243 deaths were reported from 130 out of the 216 districts in all 10 regions of Ghana, according to the GHS.

In 2015 618 cases were recorded with five deaths.

Dr Nsiah-Asare therefore called for drastic measures to be instituted to help get rid of the filth, or face outbreak of the disease in the raining season which he noted could lead to the loss of many lives.

Cholera is an infectious disease that causes severe watery diarrhea, which can lead to dehydration and even death if untreated.

It is caused by eating food or drinking water contaminated with a bacterium called Vibrio cholera.

Attitude

Dr Nisiah-Asare further stated that poor sanitation will continue to be a canker in the country if Ghanaians do not purge themselves from the attitude of encouraging filth.

He stressed that a change in attitude as far as matters of waste management and proper disposal of refuse, hygiene practice are concerned is the ideal way to help deal with the root cause of sanitation problems in the country.

“It doesn’t matter if Zoomlion will collect all the waste every day. If our attitude in this country doesn’t change, forget it. It doesn’t matter if the Ministry of Sanitation and Water will bring all the vehicles and collect all the filth, if we don’t change our attitude forget it”

He also urged government to enforce laws on the huge task of sanitation facing the country while encouraging the implementation of bin project in schools.

The forum was sponsored by Zoomlion Ghana Limited with the Environmental Service Providers Association (ESPA), Omni Bank and Citi FM as partners.