Bolgatanga, Sept. 9, GNA - Malaria and diarrhoea related diseases account for more than 70 per cent attendance annually at health facilities in the Bolgatanga Municipality during the past 10 years. As of June this year, 27,533 cases of malaria were recorded in all health facilities in the municipality. Out of the number, 34 per cent were children below age five.

During the same period 30 children died from malaria, and the same could be said for diarrhoea diseases.

The Bolgatanga Municipal Director of Health Services, Dr. Alexis Nang-Beifubah, disclosed this on Thursday at the launch of this year's sanitation week celebration of the Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly. He further disclosed that during the past two years, salmonella infection commonly referred to as typhoid has increased tremendously in the municipality.

Dr. Nang-Beifubah advised against dirty environment and said little or no money is needed to improve upon personal hygiene and environmental sanitation, adding that common hand washing with soap before and after meals, the protection of water bodies and keeping the surroundings clean could prevent lot of diseases.

The Upper East Regional Minister, Mr. Mahami Salifu who launched the week suggested measures to curb the deplorable sanitation problems confronting the region.

He said human activities such as land excavation for construction purposes, illegal mining, dumping of refuse at unauthorised areas, and indiscriminate littering of refuse should henceforth cease to prevent the outbreak of diseases.

He noted that even though resources allocated to district assemblies in the region are limited, most of them are however, working within these constraints to keep the towns and communities clean. He mentioned in particular, the Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly's efforts in keeping the city clean, which it won for itself the cleanest municipal assembly in the country, an honour he said belongs to all and urged other assemblies to emulate the performance of the Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly.

The Deputy Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Mr. Issah Ketekewu, who was at the launch, urged chiefs in the area to join the fight for a clean environment.

He said healthy living is key to the socio-economic development of the country, adding that cleanliness cannot be substituted in finding good health for the people.

The Bolgatanga Municipal chief Executive, Mr. Rockson Ayine Bukari, in a welcoming address commended residents of Bolgtanga for their co-operation and hard work in keeping the environment clean. 09 Sept. 04