All you need to know about cholera
Are you fond of throwing rubbish or other liquid waste into drains? Do you know your action could lead to the destruction of properties and the outbreak of diseases?
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The rubbish you dump into drains blocks waterways and cause rains to spill over into homes to destroy valuable properties.
When the rains subside, the entire neighbourhood becomes unsightly as the waste materials are left on roads and the banks of gutters exposing all residents to cholera.
As you might be aware, cholera particularly thrives in filth and places where people practice poor personal hygiene. As a result, when rubbish heaps are not collected over time, they become fertile ground for the outbreak of the disease.
Last year for instance, the country recorded an outbreak of cholera and very precious lives were lost. In 2014, 28,975 cases of cholera were recorded with 243 deaths. In 2015, 692 cases with eight deaths were recorded.
The rains have started again, and the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has issued an alert across the country for everybody to be wary of cholera during this rainy season.
It is in the light of this that the National Coordinator for Cholera Prevention and Control, Dr Emmanuel Dzotsi, educates you on the disease to protect yourself always.
Cholera is an acute bacterial disease caused by a germ called Vibrio Cholera. The disease leads to the passage of a lot of loose and watery stools. The affected person may also vomit a lot and, therefore, lose salts from the body.
When a person with cholera loses water and salts, he or she becomes very weak and thirsty. If the person does not receive treatment early, the weakness progresses and may result in the person collapsing which can lead to death.
Main signs of cholera
Frequent diarrhoea (three or more loose or watery stools in a day) with or without vomiting.
How does cholera spread?
When the infected person goes to toilet or vomits, he or she passes out large numbers of cholera germs. These germs spread to his or her hands, clothes, bedding, eating utensils and anything he or she may handle.
If another person touches any of these items the germs get into the person’s body too. Sometimes the germs are contained in food or liquid which will cause that person to fall sick. This can happen if one fails to wash his or her hands with soap and water after shaking the sick person’s hands, washing the sick person’s clothing and body even when he or she is dead.
A person may also get infected with cholera if he or she does not wash his or her hands with soap after using toilet facilities before preparing food or eating.
One can also get infected with cholera if one eats fruits and vegetables that are not properly washed, eats cold or uncovered foods, or drinks water that is not boiled or treated.
The following are the risk factors for cholera outbreaks:
• Slums (urban and peri-urban)
• Poor environmental sanitation
• Poor personal hygiene
• Poor food hygiene
• Displaced populations with unsafe water supply and poor sanitation
• Floods leading to contamination of domestic water sources
• Broken down water and waste disposal facilities
Ways to avoid cholera
- People must wash their hands with soap under treated running water before eating, cooking or after visiting the toilet.
- Boil drinking water and keep it in clean covered containers, eat foods while hot and avoid cold foods such as ice cream and iced kenkey.
- Wash cups, plates and cutlery sets with soap and water regularly before use and wash all fruits and vegetables thoroughly in clean water before eating.
- Keep places near water bodies clear from refuse and avoid buying food which is cold or exposed to dust and flies.
- Avoid eating food from street food vendors. Food sold in the open must be covered. People should use designated toilet facilities and avoid defaecation in open areas.
- When chamber pots are used they must be emptied into a toilet or hole in the ground and covered quickly.
Dr Dzotsi has advised that the public must not panic when there is an outbreak of cholera, but rather give plenty of Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS) or home-made fluids such as rice water, fresh coconut juice, fruit juices or water to infected persons.
All infected persons should be taken to the nearest health facility immediately while they are drinking the ORS for prompt attention, he added.
He pointed out that Treatment and Laboratory testing for cholera were free so all persons who suspect they have cholera should report to the clinic immediately.
