Ghana Health Officers Report Disease Risk After Flooding

Mr Owusu Ansah Asante, President of the Ghana Association of Public Health Technical Officers, warned on 15 June 2026 of a heightened risk of disease outbreaks if urgent preventive measures are not taken after flooding. Speaking in an interview at the peak of the flooding situation, Mr Asante said Ghana's experience over the years showed that floods were often followed by outbreaks of communicable diseases due to contaminated water sources, poor sanitation, overcrowding and increased mosquito breeding.

He identified cholera, typhoid, acute diarrhoeal infections, dysentery and malaria as major threats during and after flooding incidents.

Floodwaters often mix with sewage, refuse and other contaminants, exposing communities to serious health hazards, he said. Mr Asante recalled that previous flooding incidents across the country had been accompanied by a rise in waterborne and vector-borne diseases, particularly in densely populated urban areas where sanitation challenges already existed.

Past floods could trigger outbreaks of cholera and diarrhoeal diseases if preventive measures were not taken early, while malaria cases also tended to rise due to stagnant water creating breeding grounds for mosquitoes, he added.

Mr Asante urged the public to prioritise personal hygiene, consume safe drinking water and seek prompt medical attention when symptoms of illness occur. Residents in flood-prone areas should avoid drinking water from unsafe sources, ensure that food is properly cooked and protected from contamination, and wash their hands regularly with soap under running water, he advised.

He also called on households and community leaders to intensify sanitation efforts by clearing choked drains, removing refuse from unauthorised dumping sites and draining stagnant water around homes and public spaces.