Sodom and Gomorrah, other slums hampering Cholera fight - AMA

The Director of Public Health at the Accra Metropolitan Assembly has warned that until all the risk factors that lead to the outbreak of the cholera disease are completely eliminated, the country will still grapple with the epidemic.

Three hundred and four new cases of cholera have been recorded during the first three weeks of this year, in six districts of the Greater Accra region.

No death has, however, been recorded so far. Over a hundred people died from the outbreak last year with Accra recording the highest number.

Dr. Simpson Anim Boateng speaking on Morning Starr on Starr 103.5FM Monday said the fight against cholera is being hampered by the existence of unauthorised slums and communities such as Sodom and Gomorrah within the Accra metropolis.

“The truth of the matter is that as long as we have certain communities which have not been planned in the city existing, we would continue to have this problem with us.

“I mean the unauthorised communities; those places have not been planned and have no form of sanitation and as long as we have such places in Accra we would have [Cholera],” Boateng told host Kafui Dey.

Boateng added that most cholera outbreaks start from those unhygienic slums and urged city authorities to wipe out those unauthorised communities to help in the fight against cholera.