Ghana is currently facing a cholera outbreak that has resulted in 16 fatalities and 116 confirmed cases, with the affected regions including Greater Accra, Eastern, Central, and Western. The Ghana Health Service (GHS) is advising the public to adopt rigorous hygiene measures, similar to those practiced during the COVID-19 pandemic, to prevent further spread of the disease. Dr. Dennis Laryea, Deputy Director of Disease Surveillance at the GHS, emphasized the importance of timely treatment, noting that many of the recent deaths could have been avoided if patients had sought medical help sooner. “Quite a number of them were brought in dead, which means they delayed seeking care,” he stated.
Channel One News visited Osu in the Korley Klottey Municipality, one of the communities affected by the outbreak in Greater Accra, where residents highlighted significant sanitation challenges that may be contributing to the spread of cholera. According to locals, the community’s inconsistent water supply has exacerbated sanitation issues, leaving residents without enough clean water for daily needs, including basic toilet maintenance. “We are appealing to authorities to ensure a steady flow of water to help reduce cholera spread,” one resident said. Another shared concerns about the poor condition of a local refuse dump, which has become a hotspot for flies and increases the risk of disease, especially for children who play nearby.
Residents further reported environmental hazards around the Osu Beach area, claiming it has become a breeding ground for mosquitoes, adding additional health risks to the community. “The authorities are doing nothing about it,” a resident complained, urging the government to take immediate action to prevent worsening conditions. Inadequate water supply, improper waste disposal, and poor environmental management are major concerns in this area, as residents fear that these issues may amplify the cholera outbreak and affect more lives.
Dr. Laryea underscored that unsanitary food handling and poor personal hygiene, such as neglecting handwashing and washing produce with unclean water, significantly heighten the risk of cholera infection. He warned that cholera bacteria are present in the environment and that improper waste management allows the bacteria to spread more readily. “If people don’t wash their hands with soap and water before eating, and if they don’t wash their fruit and vegetables well with clean water, the risk of cholera infection increases,” he cautioned, urging people to adopt safe practices to curb the outbreak.
The Ghana Health Service says they are continuing to monitor the situation closely and is working to educate communities about the importance of early intervention and maintaining strong hygiene practices. Public health officials are hoping that a concerted effort to improve water supply, sanitation conditions, and waste management across affected regions will help stem the outbreak’s spread and protect more communities from cholera.
