The Oti Region has recorded a staggering 10,233 confirmed cases of typhoid fever in the first half of 2025, raising urgent public health concerns across the region.
According to the Oti Regional Health Directorate, the sharp rise underscores the urgent need for improved sanitation and access to safe drinking water, as typhoid is mainly transmitted through contaminated food and water sources.
Regional Environmental Health Officer, Cynthia Sekyere, described the development as alarming, attributing it to poor sanitation, weak waste management systems, and limited access to potable water.
In response, the Oti Regional Coordinating Council (ORCC) has launched a sanitation task force in collaboration with environmental health officers. The task force will roll out comprehensive sanitation programmes, improve waste disposal systems, and champion clean water initiatives across affected communities.
Prosper Addo, Municipal Chief Executive for Krachi West, stressed the need for community participation in tackling the outbreak.
The task force will also strictly enforce sanitation bylaws, with offenders facing prosecution.
Meanwhile, health authorities are urging residents to prioritize hygiene, ensure they consume only safe water, and cooperate with ongoing interventions to contain the spread of the disease.
Sanitation is key. Our health personnel and environmental workers should treat this as urgent
I believe the weather condition we are experiencing lately is a major factor contributing to this sickness.
We also need to check our diet in terms of what we consume.