Cholera and typhoid cases increasing in communities affected by the flood – Public Health Practitioner

A Public Health Practitioner, Abraham Norman Nortey, has revealed that water-borne diseases are increasing in the communities that have been affected by the flood that was caused by the spillage of the Akosombo Dam.

He stated that although the people are not drinking the water, they are cooking and bathing with it hence the increasing cases of cholera and typhoid.

Speaking on the Sunrise show on 3FM on Monday, October 23, Mr Norman Nortey said “Our team has been involved in diligent monitoring and evaluation of the situation. Our reports on the grounds reveal a disturbing increase in the cases of water-borne diseases such as cholera and typhoid.

“Amazingly, the Ministry has responded to some of these issues and the government as a whole has also set up an inter-ministerial committee to be able to oversee these issues.”

He added “There have been other NGOs, individuals, and personnel that have come to donate to these individuals but still the issue has to do with the fact that when this spillage occurred most of their latrines got submerged in this river and these individuals are bathing with this same water, they are cooking with this same water, they are not drinking the water though they are bathing and at the same time cooking with it and this has a lot of public health issue.”

Meanwhile, the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has revealed that it has rescued about 12,000 persons from 13 October 2023 to date in the flood disaster in Mepe and other parts of the Vola Region that was caused by the spillage of the Akosombo Dam.