Food Safety Guidelines released by MLGRD in Ghana

The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD) released National Food Safety Guidelines to be implemented by Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in Ghana. The document provides a framework to guide MMDAs to address food safety issues that occur along the value chain. These guidelines will help local governments implement safe food handling practices by providing key regulations and standards that serve as templates for MMDAs to implement in their jurisdictions.

The SaniPath Tool was deployed in neighborhoods in Kumasi and Accra and the results revealed high levels of E. coli contamination on raw produce and street food. These results were used by local public health professionals to prioritize efforts to address food safety in Ghana. The new guidelines will be used to ensure the highest level of food safety standards are adhered to throughout the food supply chain to prevent fecal contamination from occurring and to improve public health. To view the results from the exposure assessments, visit the SaniPath Results Dashboard page and select "Accra" and "Kumasi" on the left-hand side of the page.

Photo credit and information: "MLGRD Launches National Food Safety Guidelines" by Eric Nana Yaw Kwafo.

Use of an evidence based tool to inform action and sanitation investments in Kumasi, Ghana

UNC Water and Health Conference

Presenter: Habib Yakubu

Periodically, resource-challenged municipal governments in urban areas of low-income countries face decisions on how to set priorities for sanitation investments and focus resources for impact. This is primarily due to their lack of knowledge of existing innovative evidence- based sanitation tools. SaniPath exposure assessment tool evaluates the public health risks from poor sanitation and unsafe fecal sludge management in low-income urban areas. It has been deployed in 43 neighborhoods in 9 cities ; Accra, Ghana; Vellore, India; Maputo, Mozambique; Siem Reap, Cambodia; Dhaka, Bangladesh; Atlanta, United States; Lusaka, Zambia; Kampala, Uganda and Kumasi; Ghana. The most recent shit flows diagram indicates that only an estimated 45% of the fecal sludge is treated. Four neighborhoods of varying geographic and socio economic characteristics were selected for the deployment of the SaniPath tool based on extensive engagement with Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA). Trained environmental health assistants collected environmental samples and behavior data from multiple pathways in Moshie Zongo, Dakodwom, Fante Newtown and Ahodwo. The nine pathways investigated were; river water, street food, raw produce, drinking water, bathing water, open drain water, soil, public latrines and floodwater. The unit of analysis of the tool is exposure to fecal contamination. Exposure is a measurement of the average amount of E.coli ingested per month (dose) and the percent of the population exposed to fecal contamination per pathway. The most common dominant exposure pathway for children across all the four neighborhoods was open drains. A large percent of the child population was exposed, ranging from 85% to 95% and a high average dose between 10^6 to 10^8 colony forming units (CFU). For adults, the most dominant pathway varied across all the four Page 50 of 56 neighborhoods. Raw produce was the most common dominant pathway in Moshie Zongo, with 78% of the adult population exposed, and a high dose of >10^7. Bathing water was the most dominant pathway in Fante Newtown; with 81% of the population exposed and a high dose of >10^7. Open drains was the most dominant pathway in Ahodwo and Dakodwom with population exposed >61% and high dose values > 10^6. KMA has used this information to take immediate action in two neighborhoods. Firstly, they investigated the source of contamination of a surface water and sanctioned the property owner who had illegally connected directly a shared latrine’s fecal waste into a community river. Secondly, KMA rolled out a school hygiene program to educate primary school students on good hygiene practices within their school compound, in public spaces around open drains and in school toilets. There are other ongoing plans to use the results to inform their sanitation planning, practice and investments. These actions, show that with commitment and access to evidence based sanitation tools, municipal governments in urban areas are capable of using evidence based sanitation tools to prioritize and focus their sanitation investments.

SaniPath Training Hub Evidence to Action

Download • 3.65MB

Sanitation Challenge for Ghana: SaniPath partners TREND, Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, and Accra Met

Sanitation Challenge for Ghana Participants (Photo Credit: sanitationchallenge4ghana.org)

The Sanitation Challenge for Ghana is a program established to promote innovation and partnerships between Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) and private and non-state sector actors to improve liquid waste management in low-income urban households in Ghanaian cities with populations over 15,000. The Challenge was first launched in 2015 by the Government of Ghana and is supported by IMC Worldwide (UK Department of International Development), IRC Ghana, and WASHealth Solutions. The Challenge consisted of two stages in which MMDAs submitted their work to be evaluated alongside their peers. Stage 1 consisted of 139 MMDAs with 17 being invited to participate in the second and final stage of judging. Private and non-state actors were eligible for entry if they had or will be partnering with at least one of the 17 Stage 2 MMDAs on a project related to liquid waste management. SaniPath partners were selected for recognition at both stages of the Challenge and include Accra Metropolitan Assembly, Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, and Training, Research, and Networking for Development (TREND). Accra Metropolitan Assembly and Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly were recognized during Stage 1 with honorary prizes as Metropolitan Assemblies who are conducting essential work to improve liquid waste management in their respective cities.

Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly receiving the 1st prize worth £400k for innovations in liquid waste management. Photo credit

During Stage 2, Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly was selected as the 1st prize recipient of £400k for their innovative work on addressing liquid waste management to transform livelihoods in the urban center of Kumasi. The following quote was provided by Sanitation Challenge for Ghana on the work Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly had conducted over the challenge period:

”Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly – 1st winner, £400,000 for its innovative partnership with the private sector, use of aquaculture, skilled and knowledgeable staff and strong support and leadership commitment from the Mayor. Overall, the Assembly showed an outstanding commitment to all parts of the sanitation value chain.” – Sanitation Challenge for Ghana

SaniPath partner TREND receiving the Special Prize for private partners (photo credit: Habib Yakubu)

TREND was also recognized during Stage 2 of the challenge as a private partner to MMDAs whose work aims to improve liquid waste management across urban centers. TREND has facilitated trainings and managed the deployment of two SaniPath Exposure assessments, both in Accra and Kumasi, in late 2018. TREND was awarded $10,000 for their work as a SaniPath Training Hub and the capacity building and data collection work performed alongside Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly.