The Ministry of Health (MoH) has intensified disease surveillance and public health interventions in flood-affected parts of Accra to prevent outbreaks of waterborne and other communicable diseases following recent heavy rains.
The move comes after flooding inundated several communities, raising concerns over sanitation, contaminated water sources and the potential spread of disease.
In a statement, the Ministry said the Minister for Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, had visited flood-hit areas, including Circle VIP, Nii Boi Town Station and the Achimota-Alajo/Aloboshie community, to assess conditions and oversee the deployment of emergency health interventions.
As part of the response, the Minister directed the Ghana Health Service to intensify disease surveillance, strengthen community-level interventions and scale up public education on preventive health practices across all affected districts.
The Ministry said health workers have also been tasked with increasing public awareness on disease prevention, with support from the media, traditional and religious leaders, and educational institutions.
“A coordinated engagement has already been convened involving the Ghana Health Service, the Ambulance Service, Faith-based Service Delivery Agencies, National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) and the Ministry of Local Government to address critical water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) concerns arising from the floods,” the statement signed by the Ministry’s Spokesperson, Tony Goodman, noted.
The Ministry further urged Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to work closely with health authorities to enforce environmental sanitation measures.
It also directed food vendors to strictly observe food hygiene standards, while advising residents to clear drains, eliminate stagnant water and maintain clean surroundings to reduce the risk of disease transmission.
The Ministry cautioned that flooding could force reptiles and other potentially dangerous animals into residential areas and urged the public to remain vigilant.
It assured the public that the situation remains under control and that measures have been put in place to ensure uninterrupted healthcare delivery.
The Ministry also advised Ghanaians to drink safe water, wash their hands regularly with soap and water, eat well-cooked food and report any symptoms of illness promptly to the nearest health facility. It urged the public to rely only on verified information from official sources.
Read Also:
Accra floods: 38,809 people displaced, seven missing — Muntaka
