Collaboration is key to kick out cholera – Dr Ahiakpor

Dr Ferdinand Ahiakpor, Technical Adviser – National Development Planning Commission, has called for collaboration among stakeholders in sanitation and health to kick out cholera.

He said without that the solution to the problem would be a mirage and urged stakeholders to encourage teamwork and harmonise their activities to entice support from partners.

Dr Ahiakpor made the call at a stakeholders meeting on environmental health and sanitation organised by Local Government Workers Union (LGWU) of the Trade Union Congress in conjunction with Ghana Environmental Health Officers’ Association of Ghana (GEHOA) in Accra.

The forum was on the theme: “Kick cholera out of Ghana, the role of the Environmental Health Professionals.”

It was aimed at forming a National Planning Committee on Annual Environmental Health and Sanitation Promotion Campaign in the country to create awareness on good sanitation.

Dr Ahiapor who was the chairman for the occasion said environmental sanitation is critical to lives and the economy and there must be a holistic approach to the issue.

He said refuse generation indicators in the country are alarming and urged stakeholders to put an end to workshops and seminars and get down to real action.

In a speech read on his behalf, Mr Kofi Asamoah, Secretary General of the TUC said for decentralisation process to be effective leaders to the various assemblies must be voted into office.

“This will help the assemblies to hold their leaders accountable based on tangible developmental contributions they make over the period of their stay in office,” he said.

Mr Asamoah said without that the ongoing programmes such as the national sanitation day, which have been welcomed and supported by the TUC would only succeed partially.

He said for the initiative to be fully successful the communities must be made to own the programme in a “bottom-up approach” instead of top-down approach.

The Secretary General lauded the initiative of the LGWU and the GEHOA to embark on an annual campaign.

He expressed the hope that the campaign would reach the nook and cranny of the country to arrest the deteriorating environmental conditions and its negative health and socio-economic impacts.