Workshop on cholera, Ebola held in Wa

A one-week regional trainer of trainers workshop to build the capacities of participants to effect behavioural change to help prevent the spread of cholera and the transmission of the Ebola viral disease, has taken place in Wa in the Upper West Region.

The workshop was attended by 200 participants from 20 communities spread across the three northern regions of the country. The aim of the workshop was to promote knowledge on the modes of transmission of both Ebola and cholera diseases to about 70 per cent of the risk group. 

The course was organised by the Institute for Social Research Development, Ghana (ISRAD), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), and supported by the United Kingdom Aid (UKaid).

Participants in the workshop included traditional and religious leaders, women and members of various identifiable groups.  

A nutrition officer with the Ghana Health Service, Mr Gariba Sulemani,  said although Ghana had so far been spared the Ebola disease, cholera was still prevalent in many areas of the country. 

Mr Sulemani noted that it was necessary to create awareness in order to reduce the risk Ghanaians faced as a result of its relationship with other West African countries that had been affected by the disease. 

He hoped the workshop had imparted the required knowledge and skills and strengthened participants to assist their communities to prevent the two diseases from attacking them.  

The Programme Officer of ISRAD, Mr Issah Hassan Mubarack, said the NGO was operating in all the regions of the country to improve the lives of the people through knowledge-based interactive programmes. 

He said through its programmes, it hoped that communities would take charge of the health, educational and socio-economic conditions and improve on them. 

He was grateful to UKaid for financing the course which went to supplement the effort of the government and the Ghana Health Service to control incidences of the diseases in the country.