Cholera Looms In 2018—GHS Boss

The Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr. Anthony Nsiah-Asare, has expressed fear of a far more devastating cholera outbreak likely to happen this year.

According to him, the lifestyles and activities that led to the epidemic in previous years, especially in 2014, have not been adequately dealt with, adding that some parts of the country are still swamped in filth and unsanitary conditions.

Speaking at a stakeholder forum on sanitation held in Accra on Friday, Dr. Nsiah-Asare said, “In 2014, some of the things we saw, as we speak today, have we learnt lessons from what happened? What we have in Chorkor still persist.”

Taking participants’ minds back to some of the unhealthy lifestyles exhibited in the past, he said there is still spillage of fecal matter into drains coupled with an unending challenge of open defecation.

“In 2018, cholera looms…these situations have not changed…some of us in the Ghana Health Service (GHS) and the health sector, we are still afraid this year,” the GHS boss revealed.

He continued: “We are scared, that is why we have been giving alerts. We are going into the cholera season immediately the rains set in…what are we doing. The fight starts from today.”

 

Attitudinal Change

Recalling the number of deaths recorded during previous outbreaks, the GHS director said Ghanaians would continue to fallow in filth if they do not purge themselves of the mindset that filth is a part of them.

“It doesn’t matter if Zoomlion collects 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 brings all the vehicles and collect all the filth, if we don’t change our attitude, forget it,” Dr. Nsiah-Asare stressed.

He therefore proposed that education on hygiene be instilled in children starting from the kindergarten and primary levels.

“With this we shall interrupt the disease cycle and reduce the incidence of associated diseases. We should teach every child that if you enter the toilet, you should wash your hand with soap and water,” the health expert said.

Stringent Laws

Dr. Nsiah Asare further charged the Minister of Sanitation and Water, Mr. Kofi Adda to propose to parliament, a Public Cleansing Law.

“In the 21st century, there is no reason why we should not pass the Waste Disposal Public Cleansing Law to make it an offense to be dirty.

“The law should impose on every citizen of this country the duty to keep himself and surrounding clean. It should be an offense punishable by law if you live in unsanitary conditions,” he said.

The forum anchored on the theme, “Managing Sanitation: How to Lift the Nation from Filth,” and was organized by the Graphic Communication Ghana Limited (GCGL) in collaboration with Zoomlion Ghana Limited and Environmental Service Providers Association (ESPA).

By: Grace Ablewor Sogbey/ [email protected]