The President of the Ghana Association of Public Health Technical Officers (GAPHTO), Mr Owusu Ansah Asante, has warned of a heightened risk of disease outbreaks if urgent preventive measures are not taken in the wake of flooding.
Speaking in an interview at the peak of the flooding situation, Mr Asante said Ghana’s experience over the years showed that floods were often followed by outbreaks of communicable diseases due to contaminated water sources, poor sanitation, overcrowding and increased mosquito breeding.
He identified cholera, typhoid, acute diarrhoeal infections, dysentery and malaria as major threats during and after flooding incidents.
Mr Asante explained that from a public health perspective, flooding significantly increased the risk of disease outbreaks, as floodwaters often mixed with sewage, refuse and other contaminants, exposing communities to serious health hazards.
He recalled that previous flooding incidents across the country had been accompanied by a rise in waterborne and vector-borne diseases, particularly in densely populated urban areas where sanitation challenges already existed.
He added that past experiences showed that floods could trigger outbreaks of cholera and diarrhoeal diseases if preventive measures were not taken early, while malaria cases also tended to rise due to stagnant water creating breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
Mr Asante noted that although Ghana had made progress in strengthening disease surveillance and outbreak response systems, prevention remained the most effective strategy.
He therefore urged the public to prioritise personal hygiene, consume safe drinking water and seek prompt medical attention when symptoms of illness occur.
Residents in flood-prone areas, he advised, should avoid drinking water from unsafe sources, ensure that food is properly cooked and protected from contamination, and wash their hands regularly with soap under running water.
He also called on households and community leaders to intensify sanitation efforts by clearing choked drains, removing refuse from unauthorised dumping sites and draining stagnant water around homes and public spaces.
Mr Asante stressed that many disease outbreaks could be prevented if communities took environmental sanitation seriously, adding that everyone had a role to play in keeping surroundings clean and drains free from blockage.
He disclosed that members of the association across the country had been placed on alert to support disease surveillance, health education and emergency response activities in collaboration with relevant institutions.
According to him, Public Health Technical Officers stationed in health facilities and communities nationwide were monitoring the situation and stood ready to provide technical support where needed.
He said the association would continue to work closely with the Ministry of Health, the Ghana Health Service, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, NADMO, Environmental Health Units and other stakeholders to strengthen disease prevention and respond swiftly to emerging public health concerns.
BY GEOFFREY BUTA
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