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The Ashanti Regional Health Directorate has given assurance that adequate steps have been taken to effectively respond to any cholera outbreak.

Mr. Afriyie Asubonteng, the Disease Control Officer, said although there had not been any reported case, they would not take any chances.

He told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Kumasi that the health directorate had put in place clinical measures and put together the necessary logistics to deal with any emergency.

The assurance comes amid the reported outbreak of the acute diarrhoeal disease in Cape Coast, with a total of 172 cases having been recorded as of November 02.

Mr. Asubonteng spoke of community outreach programme to help the people to maintain good personal hygiene and environmental sanitation.

This was being done by a team of community health nurses, disease control officers and environmental health officers.

He added that they were encouraging people to eat their food hot, saying, “taking hot foods could kill the bacteria in the food and it is therefore vital that food is eaten hot to prevent an infection”.

Mr. Asubonteng said the various health facilities in the districts have been alerted to run a Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) for cholera in all diarrhea cases presented to them facilities.

He indicated that the facilities had also been equipped with adequate drugs, ward beds and other logistics.