Take post-flood disinfection seriously to prevent disease outbreaks – Environmental Health Officer backs Zoomlion

The Ayawaso North Municipal Assembly's Environmental Health Officer, Richard Donkor, has urged the community to take flood disinfection seriously to prevent disease outbreaks. Floodwaters often traverse contaminated areas like public toilets, septic tanks, and waste facilities, potentially spreading disease. Donkor emphasized the importance of thorough disinfection during an exercise conducted by waste management firm Zoomlion Ghana Limited in collaboration with Greater Accra's MMDAs.

This effort targets disease-causing organisms, flies, mosquitoes, and other public health hazards following recent flooding. Donkor cautioned that flood runoff should not be viewed as regular wastewater due to its high pollutant and pathogen content. He highlighted the Five-Five Public Toilet in Accra New Town as a recent focus, noting that the intervention aims to eliminate pathogens carried by floodwaters.

Donkor, while acknowledging the exercise's tardiness, stressed its critical role in safeguarding public health. He thanked the Presidency and Zoomlion for their support and praised media for raising awareness on sanitation and environmental safety. Donkor stressed that collective responsibility from government, private organizations, communities, and individuals is crucial for maintaining public health standards.

Zoomlion teams cleaned numerous public and institutional sites across the Greater Accra Region, including the Five-Five Public Toilet, GHS, Ghana Ambulance Service, GES facilities, and multiple dumping sites. Donkor encouraged residents and public facility managers to maintain proper sanitation and waste management to complement these efforts.