Deputy Director of Health Services in the Volta Region, Dr. Senanu Kwesi Dzokoto, has revealed that the spillage of the Akosombo Dam has resulted in the displacement of at least 12,000 people.
The controlled water spillage from the Akosombo and Kpong Dams commenced on September 15, 2023, due to a consistent rise in the inflow pattern and water level of the Akosombo reservoir. This has led to thousands of residents in areas like South Tongu, North Tongu, Central Tongu, Asuogyaman, and several others having their homes submerged.
During an interview with the media, Dr. Dzokoto mentioned that the health directorate is actively taking measures to ensure the safety and immediate needs of the displaced persons are met.
He emphasized the importance of providing proper sanitary conditions in the camps, offering psychosocial support through mobile teams, and addressing any health emergencies.
“As of yesterday, we have close to 12,000 displaced persons. Our first immediate concern is to make sure that the 12,000 people are safe and free from any immediate risk. So some of them are in safe havens, especially in North Tongu, which is the worst-affected district in the Volta Region. And we have ensured that first of all, the sanitary conditions in the camps are quickly improved. We have also made mobile teams available to them, which are providing psychosocial support, and we are on hand to deal with any health emergencies,” he stated.
Dr. Dzokoto highlighted the focus on educating residents about maintaining proper health behaviors to prevent the outbreak of waterborne diseases, particularly cholera, which is a common concern in such disaster situations.
“What we really want to avoid is to avoid something like cholera because that is the most common epidemic that may arise from a disaster of this nature,” he added.
Additionally, he noted that 25% of Mepe in the North Tongu District has been submerged in water, illustrating the severity of the impact on affected areas.
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“If you go to North Tongu, while we were there for the rapid assessment, about 25% of Mepe was under water, and even two-storey buildings had their roofs almost covered by water,” he said.