The Public Health Directorate of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) says the outbreak of cholera in the metropolis is gradually reaching an epidemic status.<\/p>\n
Over 500 cases of cholera have so far been recorded in Accra alone between June and July which has caused the death of five people.<\/p>\n
The assembly has been accused of supervising indiscriminate waste disposal in the capital which has resulted in the outbreak of the disease.<\/p>\n
But the Director of Public Health at the AMA, Dr. Simpson Boateng says with an eminent epidemic at hand, there is no need for people to apportion blame as the assembly is doing its possible best to keep the city clean.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cWe are heading towards an epidemic and that is why there is the need for us to rather focus on preventing the spread.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dr. Boateng urged Ghanaians, especially residents in the Greater Accra Region to contribute to the maintenance of a clean environment as well as practice of personal hygiene.<\/p>\n
According to him, it is unacceptable for any individual to die from cholera \u201cand so we are making sure there are no more deaths and as at yesterday [Tuesday], we had about 500 cases.\u201d<\/p>\n
Like other hospitals and health facilities in Accra, the Korle Bu Polyclinic is also struggling with the number of patients who report to the facility daily for treatment of cholera.<\/p>\n
The hospital serves the Agbogbloshie, Chorkor, Jamestown and its surrounding areas.<\/p>\n
The clinic does not have a cholera unit and also lacks enough personnel to deal with the many cases being recorded daily.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Director of the Institute for Environment and Sanitation Studies at the University of Ghana, Professor Chris Gordon is warning the death toll could rise if Ghanaians do not change their attitude towards sanitation.<\/p>\n
Speaking in an interview with Citi News<\/strong>, Professor Gordon asked Ghanaians to tackle the root cause of the problem which in his assessment is the poor attitude of the people towards cleanliness.<\/p>\n \u201cIt seems that we need people to die before we sit up and take action. It shouldn\u2019t be that way,\u201d he advised.<\/p>\n He called for a holistic approach in tackling the disease as there is an apparent breakdown in societal values, attitudes and behaviours.<\/p>\n “It doesn\u2019t matter how many landfill sites the AMA creates\u2026if we do not change our patterns of using resources, the sanitation problem will never be solved in Ghana.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n By: Efua Idan Osam\/citifmonline.com\/Ghana
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