ActionAid Fights Cholera Through Donations To Hospitals

The President, John Dramani Mahama, last month taxed all metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDA's) to instill communal responsibility among residents by engaging them in regular clean-up exercises.

He made this call after he had personally participated in a clean-up exercise in some areas in Accra all in an effort to control the current cholera out-break in Ghana. However, in responding to the cholera epidemic, Deputy Country Director for Actionaid Ghana, Mr. Yakubu Mohammed Saani has underlined the need for a universal approach to prevention, treatment and eradication of cholera in Ghana.

He stressed the cause was not necessarily the sole concern of government but all. He made this known after presenting two separate donations to the La Poly-Clinic and Korle-Bu Poly-Clinic in Accra.

At an approximated total cost of GH Ȼ36,000.00 Actionaid Ghana donated a little over GH Ȼ18,000.00 each to the two hospitals in the form of medical consumables and other supplies towards the fight against Cholera.

The items included gallons of liquid soap and bleach, methylated spirits, cotton wool, disposable apron, utility groves, face masks, cannula, hand sanitizers and more. Already national figures on cholera cases has hit 12,622 plus and still counting, where as death toll ranges over 122 statistically, hence the need for this cause. Mr. Saani noted their next target is to support the three northern regions.

According to authorities at La Poly-clinic the daily increase in Cholera cases is exponentially alarming. Speaking to the media team, head of administration at La Poly-clinic, Mr. Philip Afeti revealed the clinic had witnessed over 1,434 cholera cases with 15 resulting in mortalities, of which 8 were brought in dead (BID).

Mr. Afeti used the medium to appeal to other cooperate bodies to consider the gravity of danger which the looming epidemic pose to the very livelihood of Ghanaians in order to equally assist the hospitals and clinics with medical supplies and other voluntary efforts where required to combat and end the trend.

He also emphasized on the need to intensify campaigns on environmental cleanliness and the conscious efforts to change people's attitude and eating habits.

Adding to the afore, head of department of the Korle-bu Poly-clinic, Dr. David Nortey believes solutions to out-breaks of communicable disease like cholera goes beyond poor environmental attitude and poor eating habits. He said it has more to do with poor infrastructural planning of sewage systems in the country, hence calling on the local government and district assemblies to do well to correct the situation.

He however thanked government, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and few other organisations Like Actionaid who have supported them in the quest to delivering efficient medical services to patients. He called on more to emulate the gesture to save lives.

More so, he indicated Korle-bu Poly-clinic has already witnessed over 2,000 cholera cases with 17 mortalities, out of which 13 were brought in dead (BID). Dr. Nortey indicated that due to pressure which is currently mounting on the clinic as result of the cholera cases, they are have had to employed 24 casual nurses (bank nurse) who are also paid to support incumbent nurses in order to reach all patients satisfactorily.