By Michael Foli Jackidy, GNA
Ho (V/R), Aug. 27, GNA – Zoomlion Ghana Limited, in collaboration with the Environmental Health Units of the Volta Regional Coordinating Council and the Ho Municipal Assembly, has launched a disinfection and fumigation exercise in the Volta Region to mitigate potential public health risks following the June floods.
The exercise, which began at the Ho Market in the early hours of Wednesday, forms part of efforts to prevent possible outbreaks of diseases and control pests and disease vectors associated with flooding.
The exercise will be extended to all 18 districts and municipalities in the Volta Region and is expected to end on September 9.
Mr Emmanuel Amemakalor, Volta Regional Manager of the Zoomlion Ghana Limited, said the initiative was aimed at addressing the environmental sanitation and public health challenges that emerged after the floods.
He said the floods had resulted in the destruction of property and livelihoods while also creating conditions that could lead to the spread of diseases.
“When floods occur, there are environmental sanitation-related issues, including contaminated water, stagnant water and the displacement of disease vectors and other pests,” he said.
Mr Amemakalor said stagnant water could create breeding grounds for mosquitoes, while floods could also displace animals and pests such as rats and snakes from their natural habitats.
He said the contamination of water, food, drains and other public spaces could expose residents to diseases, including cholera, typhoid fever and other infections.
Mr Amemakalor said markets were being prioritised because they were major centres where food was sold and purchased for consumption by households.
He said the disinfection and fumigation exercise would help control pests, vectors and other organisms that could contaminate food and contribute to the spread of diseases.
The exercise would cover markets, lorry parks, transport terminals, public toilets, schools, public facilities, refuse dumps and other areas affected by the floods.
“We started the exercise in Ho, but it will spread across all the 18 districts in the Volta Region,” Mr Amemakalor said.
He appealed to residents and communities to support efforts to prevent flooding by disposing of waste properly and avoiding the dumping of refuse into drains.
Mr Amemakalor said indiscriminate disposal of waste contributed to the choking of drains, which could worsen flooding during heavy rains.
Ms Stella Kumedzro, the Volta Regional Environmental Health Officer, said the floods had been particularly severe in some parts of the region, including Anloga, South Tongu, Keta and parts of Ketu North.
She said although the impact of the floods in the Ho Municipality was comparatively minimal, the floodwaters had affected homes, schools, markets and some health facilities in other parts of the Region.
Ms Kumedzro explained that floodwaters could carry faecal matter, refuse, animal carcasses and other contaminants and deposit them in communities and public spaces, creating serious public health risks.
She said such contamination could increase the risk of cholera, typhoid fever, dysentery and other diarrhoeal diseases.
The Regional Environmental Health Officer said floodwaters could also displace dangerous reptiles and other animals, including snakes and scorpions, while stagnant water could provide favourable breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
She added that decomposing animal carcasses and refuse could attract houseflies and other disease-carrying vectors.
Ms Kumedzro commended Zoomlion Ghana Limited for undertaking the exercise, describing it as a timely intervention to prevent possible public health emergencies following the floods.
She said the disinfection and fumigation exercise would help address potential health hazards associated with contaminated floodwaters, pests and disease vectors.
“We must commend Zoomlion for this initiative. It is an important intervention to avert any imminent public health danger because these vectors and pests can pose serious risks to public health,” she said.
The exercise is expected to complement ongoing sanitation and environmental health interventions aimed at protecting communities and preventing post-flood disease outbreaks across the Volta Region.
GNA
Edited By: Maxwell Awumah/Benjamin Mensah