Two children have died as a result of cholera outbreak in the Effutu Municipality, Central Region, with their mortal remains being kept at the morgue for postmortem examination.

A total of 356 cases are also suspected, with 29 confirmed cases. 15 patients are currently on admission at the Winneba Municipal Hospital with 10 in critical condition.

Dr Douglas Amponsah, the Acting Medical Superintendent of the Winneba Municipal Hospital, provided the figures above, noting most of the cases were being recorded in the fishing communities along the coast, with most of the victims being children and pregnant women.

According to other health workers, some 100 patients who showed signs and symptoms of cholera are expected to be discharged soon.

James Kofi Annan, the 2024 National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary candidate for Effutu, described the outbreak as "alarming". According to him, the areas with good sanitation appeared to be safe from the outbreak. 

"A lot of them have running water in their homes, toilets, the sanitation situation is better. But where the cases are coming from like Sankor, Juma, Ponkoekyir, Alatapokodo, you see that sanitation is an issue. Sanitation is a complex situation there," he noted.

He promised the refuse dump in Sankor where children "scavange" will be relocated, and a cleanup exercise began "this week" in hopes to control the outbreak.

He said he would put his radio station "at the disposal of the municipal health directorate" to aid awareness creation.

He made a donation of "tissues, hand sanitisers, liquid soap, nose masks" and other things, bemoaning, however, it may not be enough, given the seriousness of the outbreak.

Noting other efforts, he said he had been to the Ghana Health Service headquarters, “wanting to meet the director-general.

“Unfortunately, he had to go to parliament with the minister [of health] so we couldn’t meet.”

While health officers are ensuring that the spread is curbed and victims treated, Dr Amponsah asserted the urgent need for emergency steps to be taken.

The Effutu Municipality has now become a cholera hotspot like the Ajumako, Agona West, and Ekumfi districts of the Central region.