Mobile Food Vendors guilty of cholera surge in Western Region – Director

Dr. Gifty Amugi, the Deputy Western Regional Director of Public Health, says despite the gains made in cholera control in the region, drivers of the infection still linger on in the communities.

Cholera drivers are bad sanitation practices such as indiscriminate dumping of refuse in gutters and open spaces, open defecation and diverting of household faecal waste pipes into gutters and unhygienic cooking environments, particularly among food vendors.

Since the outbreak of the condition in the region on November 4, 2024, 19 persons have died of the condition.

Currently, there are only four sample cases in the laboratory.

Dr. Amugi therefore urged Ghanaians to take personal Hygiene seriously and be committed to cleaner communities.

The Deputy Director of Public Health spoke about the extensive collaboration efforts needed to combat the menace and praised the regional risk communication and community engagement sub-committee meeting on the cholera outbreak for the yeoman’s job.

Mr. Clement Amankwah, the Surveillance Ocer, said so far 13 districts have not recorded any cholera cases.

The region recorded its index case on November 4, 2024, building a case record of 2,225 on January 15, 2025.

Meanwhile, most of these cases could be directly associated with mobile food vendors.

Mr Amankwah said there have been a total of 2,206 recoveries.

He also called for the improvement of water and sanitation conditions in the Region.