By
Laudia Sawer, GNA
Teikpitikorpe (GAR), Sept 13, GNA – The
Volta River Authority (VRA) has handed over a solar powered mechanized water
facility to the Teikpitikorpe community in the Ada East District to address its
high prevalence of bilharzia.
The facility, which is the first of its
kind, filters water drawn from the Volta River, cost GH¢ 50,000 to construct.
Madam Elizabeth Maku Kisson, Research
Officer at the Public Health Section of VRA, said research conducted by her
outfit in communities along the Volta River revealed that residents were at
risk of contracting Bilharzia due to the availability of the parasites in the
waterweeds along the river.
Madam Kisson explained that people became
infected when larval forms of the parasite released by freshwater snails
penetrated the skin during contact with infested water and later developed into
an adult schistosomes.
She noted that prior to the impoundment of
the Volta River, Onchocerciasis was predominant in the communities adding
however that the impoundment caused a reduction in flow rate of water which was
conducive for the proliferation of aquatic weeds which served as habitats for
the snail vectors of Schistosomiasis leading to drastic increase in the
disease.
According to her, the VRA in collaboration
with partners had put in many mitigating measures including the screening and
treatment of infected persons, mass drug administration, and sensitization
programmes as well as the provision of safe water and sanitation facilities in
the communities to reduce the Bilharzia cases.
She urged residents to make good use of the
facility as it was the same fresh river water being served without parasites
that causes the sickness.
Mr Emmanuel Dankwa Osafo, Deputy Chief
Executive (Engineering and Operations), VRA, in a speech read on his behalf,
said the VRA’s initial decision to provide borehole mechanized facility failed
due to the high salt content beyond the World Health Organization’s (WHO)
recommended levels, in the borehole they drilled.
The speech read by Mr Ken Arthur, Director
Kpong Retrofit Project, VRA, stated that as a result, Project Maji Foundations,
VRA’s water solution partners, agreed to design a sand filtration system using
the river water.
He added that, “Teikpitikorpe, your
community is the fourth to benefit under the VRA CSR Water Project but first to
receive this type of facility that would provide reliable and sustainable water
supply to deprived and bilharzia-endemic communities along the Volta River.”
Nene Lomo IV, Divisional Chief of Lomobiawe
Clan of Ada and Madam Sarah Dugbakie Pobee, Ada East District Chief Executive,
commended the VRA for the project and promised to maintain it properly.
GNA
