Almost US$ 6 million can be saved if the people changed their behaviour and attitude to sanitation, says Alhaji Abu Yahaya, Chairman of the Upper West Regional Health Committee.

The costs for water and sanitation related diseases such as acute respiratory infections and diarrhoea were about US$ 5.85 million (€ 4.2 million) in 2008 which strains the finances of the various Mutual Health Insurance Schemes.

Improved hygiene and sanitation behaviour can prevent 90 % of these diseases, said Abu Yahaya at the closing session of a one-week course for Sanitation Guards drawn from the Wa Municipality, Wa East, Wa West and Sissala East Districts.

The Guards are expected to assist Environmental Health Officers in hygiene education and promotion, premise inspection, dissemination of sanitary information, supervision and monitoring of sanitation services. Ninety Sanitation Guards have been trained so far in the region, according to Mr. Emmanuel Volsuri, Regional Operations Supervisor of waste management company Zoomlion Ghana Limited.

Related web sites:

• Ghana - Wa Municipal district web site
• Ghana - Wa East district web site
• Ghana – Wa West district web site
• Ghana - Sissala East district web site

Contact: Zoomlion Ghana Limited, Madina, Ghana, info@zoomlionghana.com / zoomlionghltd@yahoo.com, http://zoomlionghana.com

Source: GNA, Ghana Business News, 14 Jun 2009

Tags: africa, hygiene promotion, solid waste management