The Nanumba North Municipality in Ghana’s Northern Region is grappling with an alarming rise in typhoid fever cases, exacerbated by a worsening water crisis and poor sanitation practices.
For several days, residents have been enduring acute water shortages, leaving them with no option but to depend on the Waapu Dam, a water source deemed unsafe for consumption. Compounding the crisis is the prevalence of open defecation, which has significantly polluted the area’s water sources, heightening health risks.
The situation poses a grave threat to food safety, as food vendors increasingly rely on water supplied by tanker services, which are also at risk of contamination. Health authorities have expressed deep concern about the potential for a widespread outbreak.
In response, the Ghana Health Service, in partnership with local environmental health officers, has initiated a comprehensive screening and vaccination campaign targeting food vendors across the municipality. The exercise aims to immunize 700 vendors and ensure they adhere to strict hygiene standards.
Alhassan Abdul Somed, the Municipal Environmental Officer, emphasized the importance of the campaign, warning that food vendors who fail to comply with the screening and vaccination exercise will face penalties.
“Typhoid cases in the district are reaching alarming levels. This initiative is crucial to curbing the spread of the disease while educating the public on preventive measures,” said Fusheini Lugman, the nurse spearheading the vaccination effort.
Health officials have also ramped up public education campaigns, urging residents to adopt safe water and food handling practices. These include boiling water before use, washing hands frequently, and avoiding unclean food sources.
As the crisis unfolds, residents and authorities alike are calling for urgent interventions, including improved water infrastructure and stricter enforcement of sanitation regulations, to prevent further escalation of the outbreak.
Story by: Mercy Addai Turkson #ahotoronline.com
