The Unposted Environmental Health Officers and Assistants Association of Ghana has joined the Oti Region and the nation in mourning the lives lost to the recent Typhoid outbreak.

Ghana has experienced a Typhoid plague since January, 2025.

In its September 1, statement, the association bemoaned the outbreak which had "claimed numerous lives including a chief, two Former District Chief Executives in the Region and caused immense suffering" was "a stark reminder of the negligence and lack of attention to the Environmental Health profession in Ghana".

"The consistent neglect of this critical sector has led to the deterioration of sanitation services, creating an environment conducive to the spread of diseases like cholera, typhoid, and malaria, among others," the association charged.  

Underlining the reponsibility of political and traditional authorities to stem the outbreak, the association noted its "idle" members were eager to be engaged. 

"As professionals we are ready and willing to supplement the efforts of the overburdened officers currently on the field," the association said.

"By doing so, the government can strengthen the environmental health sector and take meaningful steps toward curbing the Typhoid outbreak and preventing future occurrences."

Additionally, they expressed "our deepest condolences go to the bereaved families, we share in the pain of all affected individuals who have been impacted by this preventable tragedy".

Read more below:

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

Unposted Environmental Health Officers and Assistants Association of Ghana Mourns Lives Lost to Typhoid fever Outbreak, Calls for Immediate Action

Accra, Ghana 

Date: 01 September , 2025.

The Unposted Environmental Health Officers and Assistants Association of Ghana joins the Oti Region and the nation in mourning the lives lost to the recent Typhoid outbreak that has plagued Ghana since January, 2025 till date.

Our deepest condolences go to the bereaved families, we share in the pain of all affected individuals who have been impacted by this preventable tragedy.  

This outbreak, which has claimed numerous lives including a chief, two Former District Chief Executives in the Region and caused immense suffering, is a stark reminder of the negligence and lack of attention to the Environmental Health profession in Ghana. The consistent neglect of this critical sector has led to the deterioration of sanitation services, creating an environment conducive to the spread of diseases like cholera, typhoid, and malaria, among others.  

For over five years, graduates from the three schools of hygiene in Ghana have been left unemployed, despite our extensive training and readiness to contribute to the nation’s environmental health and sanitation. The failure to integrate our 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 batches into the workforce has further exacerbated the challenges faced by the already overburdened Environmental Health units across the country.  

We hold the Government of Ghana accountable for this unfortunate situation which has affected over 10,233 individuals in the Oti Region, Ghana. The lack of political will to upgrade Environmental Health units to a full-fledged service or authority has left the sector under-resourced and ineffective. This neglect has resulted in poor sanitation, inadequate waste management, inadequate medical screening for food vendors on typhoid due to inadequate Environmental Health staff and other related communicable diseases and the proliferation of diseases that could have been prevented with proper planning and investment. 

On 19th August, 2025, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Water and Sanitation in Parliament, in the person of Hon. Kwabena Oti Bless John, indicated an increase in sanitation Levy from 50 pesewas to 1 cedi and also indicated of proposing the upgrade of Environmental Health and Sanitation Directorate to an Authority and we support that but this shouldn't be one of those political talks.

In light of this crisis, we call on the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs as well as the Ministry of Health, to take immediate action. We urge them to employ we the  unemployed Environmental Health Officers and Assistants who have been left idle for years. As professionals, we are ready and willing to supplement the efforts of the overburdened officers currently on the field. By doing so, the government can strengthen the environmental health sector and take meaningful steps toward curbing the Typhoid outbreak and preventing future occurrences.

We call on all the sixteen Regional Ministers, the 261 MMDCEs, the sixteen Regional Environmental Health Officers and the 261 MEHOs and DEHOs to support the call for financial clearance for the postings of the over 3600 graduates from the  three schools of hygiene in Ghana (Ho, Tamale And Accra schools of hygiene).

Once again, we extend our deepest sympathies to all affected by this outbreak. We remain committed to advocating for the rights of Environmental Health professionals and for the improvement of sanitation services in Ghana.  

Yours Sincerely,  

Awine Fred Atinga 

General Secretary  

Unposted Environmental Health Officers and Assistants Association of Ghana

Contact: 0240382294