Accra, July 1, GNA – The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has intensified disease surveillance in flood-affected areas to prevent possible outbreaks, saying Ghana has recorded no confirmed cholera case for more than a year.
Flooding increases the risk of waterborne and vector-borne diseases, but current diarrhoeal cases remain below outbreak thresholds, the Service said.
Dr. Franklin Asiedu-Bekoe, Director of Public Health at the GHS, told the Ghana News Agency in Accra on Tuesday that the Service had activated its flood response plan, with surveillance, early detection and rapid response forming the core of its preparedness measures.
He said flooding often contaminated water sources, increasing the risk of diarrhoeal diseases, including cholera, particularly in flood-prone communities.
“We anticipate an increase in diarrhoeal diseases following floods because of contaminated water and poor sanitation, our surveillance systems are actively tracking cases on a daily basis from the district to the national level to ensure early detection and prompt response,” he said.
Dr. Asiedu-Bekoe said laboratory confirmation remained essential because not every diarrhoeal case was cholera.
He said health authorities were testing samples from suspected cases to determine the cause of illness and guide public health interventions.
“Our focus is on early detection and response, we are monitoring diarrhoeal diseases every day, and where necessary, samples are sent to the laboratory because not all diarrhoea is cholera,” he explained.
Dr. Asiedu-Bekoe urged residents in flood-affected communities to treat floodwater as contaminated, avoid drinking untreated water and boil drinking water or use purification tablets before consumption.
He also called for improved sanitation, proper waste disposal and cleaner surroundings to reduce the risk of disease transmission.
Dr. Samuel Akoreya Kaba, Director-General of the GHS, said rapid response teams had been activated in all regions to maintain healthcare services while preparing for possible disease outbreaks.
“We have zoned health facilities, mapped referral centres and are repositioning health workers to ensure people continue to receive healthcare, even where some facilities become inaccessible because of floodwaters,” he said.
Dr. Kaba said emergency treatment centres had been designated to prevent overcrowding if outbreaks occurred, while essential medicines and logistics had been pre-positioned nationwide.
He said that surveillance at Ghana’s points of entry remained active to guard against imported infectious diseases.
Describing flooding as a recurring seasonal challenge, Dr. Kaba said preventing disease outbreaks required both institutional preparedness and public cooperation.
“The Health Service can prepare, but preventing outbreaks also depends on individual responsibility. People must wash their hands regularly with soap under running water, drink safe water, keep their surroundings clean and avoid dumping refuse into drains,” he said.
Dr. Hilarius Abiwu, Programme Manager of the National Malaria Elimination Programme, warned that stagnant water left by floods could increase mosquito breeding and malaria transmission.
He said the programme was intensifying public education and urged households to use insecticide-treated mosquito nets consistently and seek prompt testing and treatment for fever.
He noted that malaria diagnosis and treatment remained free under the National Health Insurance Scheme in public health facilities.
GNA
Editee by Kenneth Sackey
1 July 2026
Reporter: Linda Naa Deide Aryeetey
Email: [email protected]