The Volta River Authority (VRA) Health Service led by its medical director, Dr Omari-Yeboah, has deployed medical support and medicines to cater for the victims of the flood as a result of the spilling of the Akosombo and Kpong dams.
Speaking on the medical interventions put in place to support the communities, Dr Omari-Yeboah said that the authority is working closely with the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to deploy staff to the affected areas.
“Doctors, nurses and allied health professionals have been deployed to provide much needed medical support,” he said.
“The GHS has deployed personnel from other parts of the country to augment the efforts of the medical staff on the ground. We are providing medical, sanitary, lab and pharmacy services at no cost to the citizens,” Dr Omari-Yeboah added.
In addition to the extra doctors and nurses deployed, he said that his outfit was supplying medicines to support the relief effort.
“As part of the combined efforts, we have also supplied medicines to the Ghana Health Services to help in the relief effort,” he said.
These medical relief supplies include anti-venom serums, pain killers, antibiotics, hand sanitisers, mosquito repellents, gloves, cannulas, dewormers and anti-fungal topical creams. The VRA Health Service also supplied drugs that targeted specific diseases such as cholera, enteric fever, dysentery, worm infestations, skin infections, snake bites, malaria and respiratory diseases.
“We are in this together. It is our sworn duty to serve and we shall serve our community. We will leave no stone unturned in providing the medical support needed,” Dr Omari-Yeboah added.
Tracts of land, including farms and communities downstream the Akosombo and Kpong dams have been flooded following the spillage of excess water from the two dams used to generate about a third of Ghana’s electricity supply.
The VRA started the spillage at the Akosombo and Kpong dams, both in the Eastern Region, from September 15, 2023, following a rise in the water level of both reservoirs due to appreciable levels of rainfall.
The spillage affected almost all the communities along the lower Volta Basin, resulting in widespread power cuts in the affected communities.
The GRIDCo sub-station in Fievie, Sogakope, in the Volta Region, has been inundated, leading to the shutting down of the station.
