Minister of Water and Sanitation, Mr Joseph Kofi Adda has appealed to Ghanaians to stop downplaying the important role hygiene plays in preventing perennial outbreaks of cholera.
According to him, majority of people downplayed the role hygiene plays in reducing the incidence of diseases
In a speech read on his behalf by the Chief Director of his outfit, Mr Joseph Obeng Poku at the Church of Christ Auditorium in Accra on the commemoration of 2017 Global Hand Washing Day, he said, hand washing with soap was not one of the cherished hygiene practices in Ghana.
He explained that it was common to find people using their hands without washing them to eat.
He recounted how Ghana in 2014 recorded 28,975 cholera cases with 243 deaths.
“But I’m glad to say that through intensive hygiene promotion, cases of cholera have reduced drastically”, he said.
Mr Adda indicated that the perennial outbreaks of cholera in the country could be eradicated if people adopt proper hygiene practices, like regular hand washing with soap.
“Cholera is caused by ingestion of faecal matter. It has been established that one gram faeces can contain ten million viruses, one million bacteria, one thousand parasites and one hundred worm eggs. This is indeed frightening and that is what makes the safe disposal of faeces and hand washing with soap one of the crucial public health priorities”, he maintained.
He therefore assured that this ministry would add hand washing to its priorities.
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