Red Flags of the Torrential Rains

With much grief, I sincerely sympathize with the bereaved families who have lost their love ones as a result of the flood and fire accident. May the souls of the departed ones rest well.

As we mourn the departed ones and find solutions to prevent future occurrence of similar disaster, let us not forget about the possible health consequences that may hit the affected area in relation to the floods.

Accra is noted to be one of the cholera endemic areas, especially during the wet seasons. But I fear if proactive preventive health measures are not put in place against the annual outbreak of cholera and other diarrhea diseases, it will be massive this year. I made the above projection in view of the magnitude of the flood.

We seem to have been too busy talking about the tragic incidence, and how to prevent its future occurrence, but relegating possible diseases and health hazards associated with the floods to the ground.

Water and food-borne diseases such as cholera, typhoid, dysentery, hepatitis A among others, should be serious health concern as far as this flood incidence is concern. A lot of filth has been washed and spread across the city – Accra. The huge debris and stagnant waters may contain varied pathogens, especially vibrio cholerae – the causative organism for cholera.

Should there be any food and water related infection and outbreak, the poor and vulnerable group, including the displaced victims who lack access to safe water and food will be the most affected. Due to the perennial water shortage situation in the capital city, it would be a common practice among households and food vendors to rely on some of these contaminated stagnant waters and wells in preparation of food for human consumption. Same sources of water may also be used in washing bowls for serving customers in public eating places.

Domestic wells that serve as sources of drinking water for some households may also be polluted by the floods. Other water tables that are not necessarily domestic wells, but serve as sources of drinking water may also get polluted. Some of the pollutants may saturate deep into the ground, affecting these water tables.

The magnitude of the flood is likely to affect most farms in the city, including vegetable farms. The filth and pollutants containing pathogens are likely to make contact with food crops in farm lands, and can make such foods unsafe for human consumption. Carrot, cabbage, lettuce, tomatoes, and other vegetables purported for vegetable salad would be most affected by these pathogens as a result of the flood. Remember, a lot of manholes and other sewages containing human feaces might have overflowed and washed away into these farms and water sources.

Our attention should also be on mosquito-borne diseases, especially malaria. The flood has obviously provided favourable breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Countless stagnant waters that are left for several days across the city raise much concern, because they will house and breed these mosquitoes to cause malaria among inhabitants

The knee-jerk and immediate oriented reactions taken by some political leaders and authorities to curb the future occurrence of the fuel station accident and that of the flood has not been given to the possible health hazards the flood stands to pose.

What is the way forward?
This is a wakeup call to the city authorities to drain all stagnant waters in the city, including gutters. As individuals, we also have a responsibility of draining stagnant waters in our surroundings, just to help distort the breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Empty tins, abandoned care tyre and other containers holding water in the environment must be destroyed or buried.

If you ever want to eat from outside, especially during this period, do some diligent checks on the safety of the water used in washing the bowl you are eating from. Be sure or insist such bowls are not washed in still waters, but under running water with soap.

Eat foods that are hot and have not been exposed to the environment or houseflies. While eating, keep busy driving flies away from settling on your food, using your left hand.

Insist not to be served with ready-to-eat food with unwashed bare hands. You can think of the “waakye”, egg, fried yam, boiled yam, among others.

Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and under running water before eating or after visiting the toilet facility and other public places – bacteria could be found/deposited on the doorknob/handle, computer mouse keyboard, steering wheel, office furniture, among others. You may have to consider relying on effective alcohol-base hand sanitizer. It helps reduce most bacterial and some viral infections.

Wash vegetables and raw fruits properly before you eat. If possible, wash them with salt solution. For the sake of safety, it is advisable you avoid roadside salad until the season is over. If you are the type that craves for salad a lot, then find time to prepare it at home. Studies show that most food-borne diseases, especially cholera and typhoid could be traced to contaminated salads.

Boil untreated water, especially stream and well water several minutes before drinking.

Regularly sleep under insecticide treated nets. Tell your households and partners to also sleep under treated net regularly, because malaria is communicable.

The Ministry of Health, Ghana Health Service and other stakeholders should be proactive to addressing these public health concerns before we start recording diseases associated with the floods.

Inasmuch as the Ministry of Environment had attracted the cameras for embarking on serious inspections leading to the closure of some fuel stations due to the dangers they pose to human health, same should also be exhibited by the Ministry of Health, Food and Agriculture Ministry, in collaboration with the Food and Drugs Authority. They should also do serious inspection among food vendors/sellers across the country, especially Accra, to ensure that unwholesome foods are not sold to the public. After all, most of the cholera and diarrhea cases are associated to eating unwholesome foods.

Choose preventive health. Stay healthy.
Author: Gbolu Samson,
(Executive Director, PHAN-Ghana).
Email: [email protected]
+233 241115660