District assemblies urged to invest more in sanitation

Cape Coast, Oct.27, GNA - Mr Eric Kwakofi, Central Regional Environmental Health Officer on Thursday called on Metropolitan, Municipal and District assemblies to invest more in sanitation to help curb the outbreak of epidemics.

He observed that ensuring good sanitary conditions was an expensive venture and therefore, stressed the need for stakeholders to pool resources to enhance environmental cleanliness in the country. Mr Kwakofi made the call when addressing staff of the Environmental Health and Sanitation Unit of the Cape Coast Municipal and the Regional Coordinating Council (CRCC) after an eight-hour clean up exercise within the Municipality as part of activities marking the Regional Sanitation Week celebration.

He said the exercise, was a 'wake-up call' on the residents to keep their surroundings clean to prevent the outbreak of cholera in the region.

Mr Kwakofi, said as part of the celebrations, all drains within the municipality would be de-silted, weeds and refuse dumps cleared. He advised the public to endeavour to keep their surroundings clean and observe strict personal hygiene, wash their hands with soap, eat hot food and buy cooked food from clean surroundings.

Mr Kwakofi, asked food vendors to ensure they sell their food under hygienic conditions and urged them to undertake regular medical check-up to enhance their health status.

He advised people with symptoms of cholera such as vomiting and stomach pains to seek medical attention immediately. Mr Kwakofi gave the assurance that inspection of houses; hospitality facilities and educational institutions would be intensified.