Ghana: Health Alert - VSD, TNMA Clash Over Project On Anthrax Burial Site
[Ghanaian Times] The Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipal Assembly (TNMA)'s move to develop part of the veterinary disease surveillance farm containing the burial site for anthrax diseased animals at Kwabedu has sparked fears of a potential public health disaster as the assembly continues to ignore objections and legal advice to halt the project.
The Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipal Assembly's decision to develop a portion of the veterinary disease surveillance farm containing anthrax burial sites has triggered significant concerns over potential public health disasters. According to Dr. Simon Gbene, the Regional Director of the Veterinary Services in the Western and Western North regions, the Assembly's insistence on proceeding with the project despite repeated objections and legal advice poses a severe risk to both human and animal health.
The Veterinary Investigation Farm, established in 1978 with European Union funding, serves as a critical disease surveillance center for multiple regions. The site, containing anthrax burial sites from 2024, is designated by the Lands Commission and must remain undisturbed for up to 100 years due to the persistence of anthrax spores in the soil.
Dr. Gbene warns that the Assembly's disregard for these protocols could lead to catastrophic consequences, drawing parallels with the COVID-19 pandemic to emphasize the rapid spread of animal-origin diseases across borders. The Regional Director has petitioned the Attorney-General's Office over the matter and has called for intervention from various sectors, including the Ministries of Health and Local Government, the Environmental Protection Agency, security agencies, civil society organizations, and the media.
The Ghanaian Times has been unable to obtain a response from the Municipal Chief Executive, Mr. Ebenezer Cobbinah.
Written by urgent.news from AllAfrica Health's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
