Ghana has received GHC1.6 million (€100,000) in humanitarian funding from the European Union to assist communities affected by the ongoing cholera outbreak.
In a press release, the EU stated that its financial assistance would help the Ghana Red Cross Society (GRCS) provide critical relief interventions such as chlorine for disinfection, handwashing devices, and public health education.
The Ghana Health Service reported 4,850 suspected cases and 35 deaths by the end of December 2024, despite ongoing vaccination efforts to control the disease’s spread.
The outbreak began in October 2024 and has spread to 36 districts in five regions: Greater Accra, Central, Western, Eastern, and the Ashanti Region.
The relief efforts would, therefore, prioritize high-risk areas such as displacement camps and informal settlements on the urban periphery, the release said.
It added that the funding is expected to benefit 150,000 individuals who are at high risk of cholera transmission due to inadequate access to clean water and sanitation facilities.
The support forms part of the EU’s broader contribution to the Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
The EU has a €14.5 million humanitarian delegation agreement with the IFRC to replenish the DREF for small-scale disasters that do not trigger a formal international appeal.
The EU and its members are the world’s leading providers of humanitarian aid, according to the release.
It works through its Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations department to assist millions of victims of conflict and natural disasters.
With headquarters in Brussels, and a global network of field offices, the EU provides emergency relief based on humanitarian needs.
In addition to its humanitarian aid, the EU contributes €40 million towards the development of Ghana’s vaccine manufacturing capability under the Global Gateway flagship initiative.
