A slum is defined by the UN as “a contiguous settlement where inhabitants are characterized as having inadequate housing and basic service”.
A World Bank report in 2014 for instance indicates that approximately 37.4% of people who live in Ghana’s urban regions live in slums.
The desire to seek for non-existent greener pastures has seen Ghana’s urban community grow from 36.4% in 1990 to 56.7% in 2019, making it one of the most urbanized countries in Africa.
Living in a slum may perhaps not be the life any person had thought of growing up, but for many slum dwellers they say the difficulties of life have forced them to make it a home.
One of the largest slums in Accra is old Fadama, otherwise known as Sodom and Gommorah.
A number of fire outbreaks, demolitions and evictions have seen the life of inhabitants worse off, yet they would not give in.
Fast springing up is another slum along the Odaw River, around the Kwame Nkrumah interchange area, which is one of the busiest city centres in Accra.
The site just like old Fadama has similarly suffered some evictions and demolition exercises.
Sanitation situation
The slum along the Odaw River stretches from Avenor, Kwame Nkrumah Circle through to Agbogboloshie.
Just like any other slum inhabitants, they do not have access to decent toilet facilities and other social amenities which expose them to getting diarrhoea, cholera and other diseases. Squatters live close to the banks of the river, which could be a breeding ground for mosquitoes.This, consequently, makes it crucial to visit the area to learn at first hand their experiences.
Sanitation of the section visited, known as CP, was not in the best of shape, as refuse had been left uncollected along the banks of the river for weeks. It was of no problem at all for both residents and commuters to stop by to urinate into the river.
A cursory look at the river revealed it was stagnant and choked with all manner of refuse and faecal matter, making it a safe breeding ground for mosquitoes. Is living in such an area not adding to the malaria burden of the country.
Experiences of squatters along the Odaw River
For most of the squatters living along the Odaw River, this has been a nightmare. Interestingly, in all the interactions they referred to the Odaw River as a gutter for obvious reasons.
They could not but agree that the river is a good breeding ground for mosquitoes as some could recount the number of times they have had malaria.
“The gutter which is choked breeds a lot of mosquitoes.”
“The gutter breeds mosquitoes as a result of the filth, moreover, during the evenings you see people defecating in the gutter. Something must be done about it in terms of desilting and preventing the indescriminate littering.”
“Honestly the gutter breeds a lot of mosquitoes in this area. Although I do not subscribe to covering it, people must be stopped from littering, because we have children living with us here, let us protect them.”
“I have lived here for a year now and during the evenings we mount mosquito nets to sleep. Although I do not have one to sleep under, I would not attribute the few times I have had malaria to that, because as human beings I think one would once a while fall ill.”
The story of a pregnant woman
Many of these slum dwellers are low income earners who in an attempt to make it in the city struggle to make ends meet.
28 years old Abena Fosuaa is a mother of two boys. She says she has lived in the area for about seven years and versed with all the challenges bedevilling the area.
Abena who is also eight months pregnant says the financial difficulty of having a decent accommodation in the capital is what has made her live in the area with her kids. She says she has not been attending antenatal clinic and believes God is her protector especially as mosquitoes from the nearby Odaw River usually “feast” on her and her children.
“The mosquitoes have ‘local conventions’ in this area during the evenings and can even put out a lighted mosquito coil. Living here has been possible only through the grace of God”
“Although I am pregnant I do not sleep under a treated net, neither do my two kids because I don’t have one. That notwithstanding I’m willing to sleep under it once I get one”
Majority of the people were optimistic provision of Long Lasting Insecticide Bed Nets would be beneficial to them, and appealed to authorities to prioritise its distribution in the area.
“Providing us with mosquito nets would really go a long way to help us. I must say so far I have not witnessed anything of that sought”
“I would appreciate it if I am provided with a mosquito. I would definitely sleep under it to protect myself from diseases associated with mosquito bites”
“I don’t think the provision of mosquito nets would be of benefit to us. Instead I would ask the authorities to desilt the choked gutters”
“In terms of mosquito nets, I would suggest the authorities devote attention to this area, because I’m yet to witness any distribution of mosquito nets here.”
Residential Accommodation around the Odaw River
Along the river and close to the slums are workshops and residential homes. Is the situation with residential facilities close to the river any different from the slums?
74-year-old Ebenezer Oklu, has lived in the area since 1979. He said although squatters do not pose any danger to other residents, the insanitary conditions they expose the area and especially the river to leaves much to be desired.
He recounted some fumigation exercises within the area, in the past which was helpful and was unhappy the exercise has stalled in recent times. He was however happy sleeping under the Long Lasting Insecticide Bed Net has improved his health.
The challenge for him however is that he is unable to relax outside his room for fresh air when he wishes to.
“Only yesterday, my wife was telling me how difficult it is for any of us to sit outside for fresh air, least you become ‘meal’ for the mosquitoes. As a result we constantly have to buy mosquito coil or spray”
“We the poor people how can we call someone in authority to attend to our problems. Even if I want to, where am I going to see all these people and who will I speak to”
“The gutter is the main problem in this area, they should come and desilt it every two to three months and fumigate the entire area.
“Previously I used to fall sick frequently and would be diagnosed with malaria at the Iran clinic, until I received the mosquito nets which I sleep under. Now I can say getting sick of malaria has come down and that is keeping me alive”
Having heard enough of the problem encountered by these slum dwellers along the Odaw river, how do Journalists relay these concerns to the relevant authorities?
Executive Secretary of the African Malaria Research Network, Dr. Charity Binka, said the media has a critical role to play especially as people get sick out of ignorance.
She said the media has to intensify education for such vulnerable groups to appreciate that living in such environment could predispose them to malaria in order for them to take precaution.
Conclusion
Since all the fingers are not equal, people would continue to live in the slums, even in the face of very painful demolition exercises and insanitary conditions.
The ball now lies squarely in the court of the National Malaria Control Programme, and the Ministry of Health to come up with interventions for such areas especially those who live close to the Odaw River.
If Ghana intends to reduce the country’s malaria burden, then it would be critical to let slum dwellers count in the “Zero Malaria Starts With Me Campaign.”
BY: RACHEL KAKRABA
