Residents of Walantu, a community within the Central Business Area of Kasoa, have raised serious concerns over a potential outbreak of infectious diseases, blaming poor waste management practices at the Kasoa Polyclinic.
According to the residents, liquid waste from the health facility has been flowing through the community for several years without proper treatment or drainage, posing significant health risks. They claim that despite numerous complaints lodged with the management of the Polyclinic, no effective action has been taken to resolve the problem.
The community has accused the facility of discharging untreated waste, including human excreta, into open spaces, a situation residents say has previously led to confrontations between locals and hospital staff.
Speaking to Citi News, a local opinion leader, Francis Gasu, described the situation as a major public health threat.
“It’s a big problem and a serious threat to all of us. This is not new; we have endured this terrible situation for over 10 years. Often, the hospital staff pump out their waste, especially when rain is about to fall, whether during the day or at night,” he said.
Mr Gasu added that the persistent stench has made living conditions unbearable, warning that the community remains vulnerable to communicable diseases.
“We have complained to hospital authorities several times, but nothing has changed because they are not the ones affected. Every day, we live with the fear of a disease outbreak,” he stressed.
The residents are now appealing to the Environmental Health Department of the Awutu Senya East Municipal Assembly to urgently intervene and compel the management of the Kasoa Polyclinic to put in place proper waste disposal systems to avert a public health crisis.
