Coronavirus: Sanitation Minister Tour Hospitals To Assess Water Situation

The Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources has toured hospitals in the capital today to access the availability of water in the various health facilities as the country continues in its fight against the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19).

The COVID-19 which was first recorded in the city of Wuhan in the Hubei province of China has so far spread to over 130 countries and has subsequently been declared as a global pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Last weekend, the President of Ghana, H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo announced in an address to the country that there have been 6 confirmed cases of the Coronavirus.

Government through its health ministry in line with directives and guidelines put out by the WHO has been sensitizing citizens on how to stay safe to ensure no other person contracts the deadly virus.

Among numerous measures that have been put out, constant thorough handwashing and the use of hand sanitizer has been stressed upon.

In a bid to ensure health facilities have access to water to be able to follow the instructions, the Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Hon. Cecilia Dapaah was at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital today together with representatives from the Ghana Water Company.

“We came to visit the Ridge hospital to know the situation of water accessibility. We do not want to hear there is a shortage of water at Korle-Bu, Ridge, Tema General Hospital, Achimota Hospital, and the rest”, the Minister said.

She added, “We have started the tour today and my deputies and I are visiting all the hospitals. Our regional directors will also visit the hospitals in their regions to ensure water is available in all the health facilities”.

The Director for Ridge, Dr. Emmanuel Srofenyoh in an interaction with the Minister and her entourage confirmed that water is flowing in all parts of the hospital while also assuring that they have underground water reserve and standby boreholes to serve the facility when the need arises.

Giving an update on the condition of the two COVID-19 patients at Ridge, Dr. Emmanuel said: “They are responding very well to treatment. Currently, as I am speaking to you they are recovering and they are well”.

He further assured that though Ridge is has been designated as one of the isolation centers for COVID-19 patients, it will by no means compromise the safety of the services that they provide in the main hospital since the isolation center is far away

On his part, Public Relations Officer for Ghana Water Company, Mr. Stanley Martey has entreated all and sundry to preserve water as much as they can in order to have access to it at all times.

“What we are saying is that around this time let us use the water very well. Let us stop watering of lawns, let us stop washing of vehicles with hoses especially the washing base, let us repair all leakages in our homes, let us report to the Ghana Water Company as early as possible when we see leakages around”, he appealed.

Besides Hon. Cecilia Dapaah’s visit to the Ridge Hospital, her two deputies, Hon. Patrick Buamah and Michael Gyato were also at the Korle-Bu and Tema General Hospital respectively to check the water situations at those facilities as well.

The entire citizenry has been encouraged to follow strict hygiene practices and report to the closest health facility as soon as they develop any of the symptoms of the Coronavirus.