Over 20,500 cases of cholera have been recorded in the Greater Accra Region as of February 2015. Out of the figure, 121 deaths have been recorded.
Presenting the lessons from the 2014 Cholera outbreak in Ghana, a Resident of the Faculty of Public Health at the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons, Dr Atsu Seake-Kwawu, said last year’s outbreak was three times that of recorded cases in 2013, noting that it was the largest single outbreak in the history of the country.
He made this known at a National Level Learning Alliance Platform for stakeholders in the Water, Health and Sanitation (WASH) sector. The meeting was aimed at identifying the linkages between WASH and the survival of children in Ghana.
According to Dr Seake-Kwawu, the Greater Accra Region recorded the highest number of recorded cases and this could be attributed to the breakdown in the waste management system in the Metropolis.
Dr Seake-Kwawu noted that if pragmatic steps were not taken early enough, the country was likely to be plunged into an even bigger epidemic in the future.
“The last epidemic should be considered a timely wake-up call for a sanitary revolution,” he said.
Linkages between WASH and Health
A consultant for Water Aid Ghana, Dr Sylvia Anie noted that, globally, 2.4 million annual deaths (4.2% of all deaths) could be prevented if everyone practiced appropriate hygiene and had good, reliable sanitation and drinking water.
She however noted that in developing countries such as Ghana, water and sanitation services were still severely lacking with inequities in access and corresponding high levels of water, sanitation and hygiene related diseases.
Dr Anie further noted that improving access to clean drinking water and safe sanitation was one of the least expensive and most effective means to improve public health and save lives but that could not be said of Ghana.
She therefore questioned the budget line of the Ministry of Health to the WASH sector.
According to Dr Anie, the problem had arisen due to the gaps that existed between recognition and prioritisation of WASH and health among stakeholders.
She said, “We recognise that there’s an issue but how does it translate into action.”
Dr Anie therefore called on stakeholders to clearly define their roles and responsibilities to avoid duplication of programmes.
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