Ghana loses $772.4million to malaria a year
Masahudu Ankiilu Kunateh, Ghanadot

Accra, Feb 5, Ghanadot - The estimated annual economic cost of reported malaria cases alone in Ghana is $772.4 million. According to the latest study conducted by the Ministry of Health, the figure is hovering around GH˘30.04 or $32.65 per person.

With the budget for Ministry of Health at about GH˘20,000,000 a year, this means that the total economic cost of malaria, comprising the cost of treatment and the productive time lost under the spell of the disease, is several times greater than the ministry’s annual budget.

“It is equivalent to the cost of 30,000 4 by 4 pick-ups, the cost of 215,680 metric tones of cocoa, the cost of about 5,546,000 barrels of oil, the cost of the ongoing Bui Electrification Project”, said a spokesperson from the Environmental Service Providers Association (ESPA).

The overall disease burden on Ghanaians is intrinsically linked to the environment and lifestyles, since most diseases such as malaria, diarrhea and pneumonia can be reduced by low cost mechanisms.

To help arrest the sanitation problems, the Environmental Service Providers Association (ESPA) is advocating the integration of “polluter pays principle” in the financing of waste management services in the country.

The integrated policy approach is characterized by financing and cost recovery structures that distribute costs more broadly across society. It indicates that cost of managing wastes in ways that meet minimum environmental standards become integrated into the price for the provision of the service, and for that matter the economic activity of the community.

Also, the integrated approach suggests that an economic basis be created for product producers and waste generators to minimize waste.

On the other hand, the platform is created for those who generate waste to pay for its collection and disposal, which in turn would facilitate cost recovery on waste management investment.

To avoid cost, individuals and institutions are compelled to waste minimisation, reuse, recycling and composting, which are important elements of sustainable integrated solid waste management.

The association with support from the Business Sector Advocacy Challenge Fund (BUSAC) has been sensitising its members and allies on the significance of the “polluter pays principle”, which would ensure financial support for the collection and management of waste in the country.

The President of ESPA, Capt. F.B. Amoh-Twum noted that Ghanaians are not paying realistic rates for waste management, which remained the impediment for effective waste collection and disposal in the country.

Unless we lean to pay full cost for waste collection, haulage and disposal, we cannot get rid of filth in our cities.

It is instructive to know that, waste management is a profession on its own and requirs professionals who have learned the scientific approach to waste management services and are knowledgeable enough to draw up pragmatic solutions to the waste problem in the country. This demands a lot of funding, which could not be borne by government alone.

The major constraints militating against waste collection and disposal in Ghana have been attributed to the lack of funding, unwillingness of urban communities to incur cost, and lack of funds to pay for user systems. These make the development of adequate finance and cost recovery mechanisms imperative in expanding the reach of environmental services.

The ESPA, as major local player in the private sector involvement in waste management, is eager to contribute in finding sustainable and nationally embracing solutions to remedy the lack of cost recovery, which is directly impeding the war against filth in Ghana .

The association is therefore, advocating a change in solid waste management, especially the solid waste management system in Ghana to encompass innovative ways of waste management financing and cost recovery.

Ghanadot



 

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