A total of GHc8.6 million was spent on the treatment of sanitation-related diseases reported at health facilities in the Upper West Region last year.

This, according to the health authorities, strained the finances of the various Muchual Heaalth Insurance Schemes in the region.

Out this amount,about GHc7,427,351 were spent on patients on admission while GHc1,254,117 took care of out-patients.

The diseases included malaria,acute respiratory infections and diarrhoea.

Alhaji Abu Yahaya, chairman of the Upper West Regional Health Committee, made this known at Wa at the closing session of a one-week course for sanitation guards drawn from the Wa Municipality, Wa East, Wa West and Sissala East Districts.

He said during the periods, 208,309 patients reported at these facilities with malaria, while 29,494 and 10,537 patients suffered from acute respiratory infections and diarrhoea respectively.

Alhaji Yahaya said, 90 percent of the diseases were preventable, if the people changed their behaviour and attitudes concerning sanitation.

He called on the government to invest heavily in sanitation in order to avoid the huge money that is constantly expended on medical care and the man-hours lost as a result of diseases that could be prevented.

Mr Emmanuel Volsuri, Regional Operations Supervisor of Zoomlion Ghana Limited, said 90 sanitation guards had so far been trained inthe region and have been provided with the necessary logisticts and bicycles as well as uniforms to enhance their work.

Ghanaian Times/DS