Cholera outbreaks becoming an annual ritual

Exactly a year ago the media announced a death toll of 60 people and close to about 4,000 infected persons since the first cases of cholera emerged in September the previous year.

The situation seems to the rising with 482 new cases reported in the second week of March 2011 alone.

According to Mr Joseph Amankwah of Ghana Health Service, the outbreak, which started in a neighbouring West African country spread to four other Regions and later hit the capital Accra.

Mr Amankwah in a telephone interview with Reuters had indicated that “This is a major outbreak. It's a major concern, cases are on the increase and we need to address the risk factors aggressively."

He had stated that Ghana had seen cholera outbreaks roughly every five years since the 1970s, relating its origin to contaminated water and food sources and particularly because of the last flooding in the Greater Accra Region in 2011.

President John Evans Atta Mills at the time directed the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning to release five million Ghana Cedis (GHC5million) towards the effective control of cholera outbreak in the country.

This forms part of government’s efforts to step up the management of cholera outbreak, which would involve the supply of more essential medical materials, drugs and logistics.

Cholera, a disease caused by a small germ causes an infected person to pass a lot of loose and watery stools and excessive vomiting, leading to dehydration, which could lead to death if not treated fast.

The disease, which is highly contagious, could be passed on to another person through personal contact with contaminated foods, water or any other thing which had been contaminated.

Inspite of measures, including public education over the years to arrest the situation, people have remained adamant to the observation of basic hygiene and eating practices.

Our cities continue to be littered with refuse, while drainage and sewage systems are often used as dumping sites of waste materials in most communities.

The year, 2012 has proven no exception to the seemingly routine phenomena of yearly cholera outbreaks in the country, especially in the Greater Accra Region.

The Greater Accra Regional Health Directorate of Ghana Health Service has already received reported cases of cholera in parts of the Region and advised that any person who experiences frequent loose watery stools and frequent vomiting should immediately rush to the nearest health facility for free treatment.

The disease has been reported in some parts of the Greater Accra Region even though the rainy season is yet to begin and this could spread to other areas without extensive public education and collaboration with stakeholders in halting its further spread.

The Directorate has therefore, advised the public to adhere to basic hygiene practices such as the washing of hands with soap before eating, cooking and after visiting the toilet; washing of all fruits and vegetables thoroughly with water before eating; eating cooked food while hot and avoid foods which were exposed to flies and dust.

It also advised that food sellers covered their foods against dust and flies, wash all plates and cooking utensils thoroughly before and after use, use proper toilet facilities and avoid open defecation, while observing clean and healthier environment.

These are all measures aimed at minimising and stopping further spread of cholera cases in the Region although treatment was free.

Must we embrace this annual practice and invest the nation’s limited resources into the treatment of preventable diseases or would it not be better to look for more sustainable remedies to our sanitation challenges as a country?

Gone are the days when communities would organise communal labour to occasionally tidy up their environment to prevent outbreak of epidemics like cholera and malaria.

I believe that the reintroduction of such patriotic practices must be encouraged to help deal with the level of filth in our communities. Our parents thought us to respect our tradition by participating in such events as a way of preventing evil spirits from our communities.

I clearly remember how we were encouraged to clear our backyards from over grown weeds and desilt our drains to allow free flow of waste water.

Again the reintroduction of sanitation officers at the local government level would go a long way to help punish offenders of the laws.

The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) must also enforce its bye-laws on sanitation and ensure that people had toilets in their homes to prevent indiscriminate defecation both on the beaches and in uncovered drains.

A GNA Feature by Christabel Addo**