The Director of Public Health at the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), Florence Kuukyi, has raised alarm over worsening sanitation conditions in Accra, linking them to severe public health risks, including a surge in air pollution-related deaths.
Speaking at a recent stakeholder forum, Ms. Kuukyi revealed that over 28,000 Ghanaians die prematurely each year due to air pollution, equating to one death every 19 minutes.
“This is leading to a number of diseases—not just diarrhea and typhoid,” she said. “It also affects the air we breathe. Studies show that in Ghana, over 28,000 people die each year because of air pollution.”
She described the current state of sanitation and environmental hygiene in the capital as “disheartening” and warned that the country faces a growing health crisis if urgent, collective action is not taken.
According to Kuukyi, poor waste disposal practices—especially uncollected garbage and indiscriminate dumping—are major contributors to both disease outbreaks and the decline in air quality.
The Public Health Director stressed that sanitation is a shared responsibility, urging not only government agencies but also private waste management companies and residents to play their part.
“In Ghana, we operate a ‘polluter pays’ system—those who generate the waste are expected to pay for its proper disposal. Unfortunately, many people avoid this responsibility and expect the government to handle it entirely,” she explained.
Ms. Kuukyi urged residents of Accra to take personal responsibility for the waste they produce and to support sanitation and environmental health efforts spearheaded by the AMA.
“Our collective action—or inaction—has direct consequences on our health and the environment,” she added. “Let’s work together to make Accra a cleaner, healthier city for all.”
