By Samira Larbie
Accra, July 2, GNA – A public health expert has called for nationwide action to improve sanitation and eliminate indiscriminate waste disposal to reduce flooding and disease outbreaks.
The call follows recent floods that affected Accra and other parts of the country during the rainy season.
Mr Douglas Tagoe, a retired Public Health Analyst, made the appeal in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, saying recurring floods were largely driven by human behaviour rather than inadequate drainage infrastructure.
“Every year we witness the same tragedy. Floodwaters carry away lives, destroy property and disrupt livelihoods, yet we continue to repeat the same mistakes,” he said.
Mr Tagoe said while investment in drainage infrastructure remained necessary, public cooperation was critical to preventing floods.
He said plastic bags, bottles, food containers and other refuse discarded into drains or thrown from vehicles obstructed waterways, restricting the free flow of stormwater and increasing flood risk.
Mr Tagoe warned that stagnant floodwaters also created breeding grounds for mosquitoes and disease-causing organisms, increasing the risk of malaria, cholera, diarrhoeal diseases and other public health emergencies.
“Floods do not end when the rain stops. The real danger begins afterwards, when contaminated water, human waste and refuse create the perfect environment for disease outbreaks,” he said.
Mr Tagoe described cholera as one of the most serious post-flood diseases because it could spread rapidly if treatment was delayed.
He urged people experiencing persistent diarrhoea, vomiting, severe headache or signs of dehydration after exposure to floodwaters to seek immediate medical attention.
Mr Tagoe advised households to boil drinking water where necessary and use approved household water treatment products correctly before consumption, saying safe drinking water remained one of the most effective safeguards against waterborne diseases.
He called for sustained public education on hygiene, safe water handling, handwashing and environmental sanitation.
Mr Tagoe appealed to Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to intensify sanitation enforcement through regular desilting of drains, preventing illegal structures on waterways and enforcing environmental by-laws.
He also advocated tougher sanctions against indiscriminate littering and illegal dumping of refuse, and called for greater accountability among public officials responsible for environmental sanitation where negligence contributed to preventable disease outbreaks.
Mr Tagoe urged transport operators to provide waste bins in vehicles and encouraged passengers to dispose of refuse responsibly instead of throwing it onto roads or into drains.
He appealed to schools, churches, workplaces, transport terminals and community organisations to incorporate public health education into their routine activities.
“The responsibility belongs to all of us. Floods are not caused by rain alone. They are worsened by the choices we make every day. Keeping our surroundings clean protects our health, our families and our future,” he said.
Mr Tagoe called on the public to keep drains free of refuse, report indiscriminate dumping, protect water sources and practise good hygiene during the rainy season to help reduce flooding and disease outbreaks.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Sackey
Reporter: Samira Larbie