Ghana Health Service Receives Support From US Govt

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United States of America, through its Agency for International Development (USAID) in Ghana, has donated 768,000 tablets of Aquatabs to the Ghana Health Service in support of efforts to control and eliminate Cholera in eight regions.

Ghana Health Service
Ghana Health Service

The support is also to improve access to treated drinking water at the community and household levels in urban and rural communities.

This was contained in a statement issued and copied to the Ghana News Agency by the Public Affairs Section of the US Embassy, Ghana.

The tablets, which are being distributed through health facilities, including Community Based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) in the “hot spots” of the cholera epidemic in the affected regions tablets, would purify over 15 million litres of water.

As of September 21, 2014, the Ministry of Health had reported 16,613 cumulative cases of cholera and 130 deaths from nine regions, the statement said.

It emphasised the U.S. government’s continuous collaboration and support of the government of Ghana and their objectives in improving the area of health, nutrition, water, and sanitation.

?The U.S. Government is committed to strengthening the Ghanaian healthcare system to prevent and contain future outbreaks and treat those who become ill,? it said.

?In line with the Ministry of Health’s desire to integrate cholera prevention and treatment into overall health programming, the U.S. Government is working more broadly on the prevention and treatment of all causes of diarrheal diseases.?

The statement explained that additional assistance would include supporting cholera prevention and treatment efforts through social marketing and distribution of drinking water purification products, oral rehydration salts, and soap for washing hands and household items.

It would also work side-by-side with the Ministry of Health, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) and other partners to establish a national system for tracking cases of cholera, responding to cholera outbreaks, and routinely testing suspected cases of cholera at the National Public Health Laboratory, it said.

The US Government, the statement said, would also support the treatment for cholera and other diarrheal diseases at public and non-governmental organization health facilities nationwide at the height of the epidemic and provide technical assistance and support to the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development and MMDAs to improve its capacity to provide clean water, sanitation, and improved hygiene.

Additionally, the US Government through USAID, would provide training for over 240 community health workers and volunteers deployed in eight regions to promote community water system operations, disinfection and distribution of Aquatabs, developing cholera education materials to train more than 240 community health workers and volunteers to conduct outreach activities on cholera prevention and treatment.

?We as well help improve access to clean water in communities by providing support to drill new wells, rehabilitate broken wells, and promote safe household water practices and the campaign on “Open Defecation Free” (ODF) through facilitation for the construction of sanitation facilities,? the statement added.

GNA

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