Zoomlion begins fumigation exercise across Eastern Region after floods

Zoomlion Ghana Limited has launched a disinfestation and fumigation campaign across all 33 Municipal and District Assemblies in the Eastern Region to curb disease outbreaks following recent floods. The initiative, which started on August 21, is set to conclude on September 30, and is part of the company's corporate social responsibility programme.

The Vector Control Unit of Zoomlion is working in collaboration with the assemblies to target high-risk areas such as markets, lorry parks, public toilets, and refuse container sites that could harbor disease-causing organisms. The primary objective is to control disease vectors and reduce the risk of cholera, malaria, typhoid, and other infections, particularly prevalent during the rainy season in flood-affected communities.

Speaking at the launch at Agartha Market in Koforidua, Eastern Regional Manager Cynthia Gbadago highlighted that the floods had contaminated certain areas, necessitating the exercise to safeguard residents from potential disease outbreaks. She informed the media that Zoomlion had already educated market women and residents about the initiative and encouraged them to cover food and drinking water before fumigation.

Mrs Gbadago advised residents to wait between four to six hours before re-entering areas that had been fumigated and urged them to keep their surroundings clean by disposing of refuse properly and avoiding littering, which could contribute to disease outbreaks.

Eastern Regional Environmental Officer Prince Osei Kissi praised Zoomlion for its partnership with the assemblies and assured residents that his department would continue to collaborate with the company to ensure the success of the exercise across the region. Traders at Agartha Market, such as Georgina Agbesi and Afia Adutwumwaa, welcomed the intervention, expressing hope that it would eliminate harmful insects, rodents, and improve sanitation conditions.