The Oti Region has recorded a sharp rise in typhoid fever cases, with figures climbing from 10,233 in the second quarter to 22,261 cases as of August 28, 2025, according to the Ghana Health Service (GHS).

The Regional Environmental Health Officer, Madam Cynthia Sekyere, described the situation as a major public health concern, urging urgent intervention from government and development partners.

She attributed the outbreak primarily to the lack of potable water and poor sanitation practices.

Communities along the Volta Lake, particularly in Krachi West and Krachi East districts, have been hardest hit. Indiscriminate defecation and improper waste disposal, she explained, often contaminate water sources during rainfall, worsening the spread of the disease.

As part of interim measures, the Regional Health Directorate is intensifying public education, advising residents to boil water or treat it with chlorine before use to minimise contamination risks.

Beyond water and sanitation challenges, weak enforcement of sanitation laws has also fueled the crisis.

In 2024, only 19 court summons were issued to sanitation offenders, with just eight successfully executed—a gap Madam Sekyere said has emboldened many residents to flout regulations.

To strengthen enforcement, 21 trained environmental health officers have been deployed across municipal and District Assemblies in the region.

They will rely on the Public Health Act, the Criminal Code, and local government by-laws to compel compliance with sanitation standards.

Madam Sekyere stressed that without stronger law enforcement and investment in clean water systems, efforts to curb the outbreak could be undermined.