Water shortage affecting coronavirus fight in Assin Central - Health Director

Dr Benjamin Amoako, the Assin Central Municipal Director of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), has warned of dire health consequences if immediate steps are not taken to end the weeks of water shortage in the Municipality.

He indicated that the lack of reliable and portable water supply over the last three weeks was a drawback to Government's efforts to ensure reliable supply of water to encourage handwashing as part of measures to contain the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Briefing the media on interventions to contain the spread of the virus in the area, the Municipal Director of Health said the situation had compelled residents to resort to wells and polluted rivers as their water sources.

The government in its bid to curb the spread of COVID-19 pledged to foot the water bills of Ghanaians for April, May and June 2020 to provide relief to all Ghanaians.

The President also directed water service providers to ensure a stable water supply during the period.

The Municipal Health Director explained that one of the cheapest, easiest, and most important ways to prevent the spread of a virus was to wash one's hands frequently with soap under running water.

The provision of safe water and sanitation should be regarded as a social good that protects the public from various diseases including outbreaks such as COVID-19.

Currently, the Coronavirus disease had become a Global Pandemic and the Health Director highlighted the importance of health protocols as directed by experts, including regular handwashing as one of the most effective ways of preventing the spread of the virus.

In that light, he called on government and all stakeholders, particularly the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) to work hard in resolving the challenges and ensure people have water for all essential uses at this time.

However, some residents who spoke to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), said they had been drinking untreated water for weeks.

Narrating their ordeal, Mr Emmanuel Gyamfi, a resident of Bantama, said apart from the struggle they go through in search of unsafe water, they risked contracting water-borne diseases and even the Coronavirus.