Former President Jerry John Rawlings says it is embarrassing for Ghana to be experiencing an annual outbreak of cholera.
He indicated that in an era where the issue of sanitation has been effectively tackled in many parts of the world, it is a shame Ghana is still grappling with it.
“Cholera is an embarrassing reflection of our poor sanitation practices,” he said.
Speaking at a ceremony where an honorary doctorate degree was conferred on him by the University of Education, Winneba, the former President Rawlings said more must be done to end the annual occurrence of the disease.
He said although the country is preparing to protect citizens from the deadly Ebola virus which has affected some countries in the West African sub-region, the cholera outbreak which has reached an epidemic status should not be overlooked.
There is a cholera outbreak in Accra and some parts of the Central region and over 700 cases have so far been recorded while about 70 infected persons have lost their lives to the disease.
Hospitals and clinics in the Metropolis are overstretched as they struggle to attend to patients.
The Vice President, Kwesi Amissah-Arthur has ordered the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) to rid the city of filth to prevent the spread of the disease.
Also, 100-day contingency plan has been put in place by the government to fight the outbreak of cholera in the country.
But according to the ex-President, every citizen has the responsibility to protect our immediate surroundings by keeping them clean from filth.
He counseled Ghanaians to practice good personal hygiene by the frequent washing of hands, eating and drinking hygienically treated foods and water.
“Let us all be alert and follow strictly the guidelines on how to prevent the spread of such diseases,” he warned.
By: Efua Idan Osam/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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