GHS urges return to Covid-19 hygiene measures to combat cholera outbreak

Ghana is grappling with a cholera outbreak, raising alarm among health officials and communities across the nation. So far, 16 people have died, with 116 confirmed cases reported in four regions: Greater Accra, Eastern, Central, and Western.

In response, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) is advising the public to re-adopt COVID-19 hygiene measures to help curb the outbreak. Dr. Dennis Laryea, Deputy Director of Disease Surveillance at the GHS, stressed that these deaths could have been prevented if individuals had sought medical treatment earlier.

“Our concerns have had to do with the death. The numbers, yes, but quite a number of them were brought in dead, which means they were delayed in seeking care. About seven or eight of them were brought in dead,” Dr. Laryea noted. “The majority of the others spent less than 12 to 24 hours on admission. That meant that we had little time to make a difference. Their kidneys may have stopped functioning due to dehydration. We have seen some changes in some of the districts. Once you start developing symptoms—vomiting, watery diarrhoea—get to the health facility.”

Channel One News visited Osu in the Korley Klottey Municipality, a cholera-affected area in the Greater Accra Region, where residents voiced concerns over sanitation challenges.

“One critical issue affecting this community is the inconsistent supply of tap water, which has significantly worsened our sanitation problems. We are appealing to the relevant authorities to ensure a steady flow of water to this area to help reduce the spread of cholera,” one resident shared.

Another resident explained, “We don’t have consistent water supply for domestic use, even for basic needs like cleaning our toilets. Additionally, the refuse dump area is in a deplorable condition, which could breed cholera, especially since children play around and food is exposed to flies. We are appealing to the authorities to address the water supply and improve the sanitation conditions.”

A third resident highlighted conditions at Osu Beach, saying, “The Osu Beach has become a breeding place for mosquitoes. The authorities are doing nothing about it. We are urging the authorities to save the situation.”

Dr. Laryea underscored the need for better hygiene practices to prevent further spread of the disease, cautioning, “The factors that will drive the outbreak haven’t left us. The personal hygiene and the food handling situation are still there. If people don’t wash their hands with soap and water before eating, wash their fruits and vegetables well with clean water, it can result in cholera infection. The bacteria is in the environment, so once we are not handling our waste appropriately, then the risk of the disease spreading is high.”

Source: Dailymailgh.com