Seek Medical Care Early After Floods - Dr Aminarh Urges

People who begin to feel unwell after the recent floods should seek medical attention immediately rather than self-medicate, Dr Christian Aminarh, a medical doctor, has advised.

Dr Aminarh said flood-related illnesses may initially resemble common ailments such as malaria, causing many people to delay treatment.

"You feel something, you feel uncomfortable, get yourself treated," he said on the Big Convo segment of the Culture Daily morning show on 3Music TV and Pluzz 89.9 FM.

He urged residents to visit health facilities with their National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) cards and seek professional care as soon as symptoms appear.

According to him, many flood-related diseases begin with symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhoea, headaches, fever and general body weakness.

"It will start mixing with symptoms of malaria too," he said.

He warned that people often assume they have malaria and begin treating themselves at home, only to discover later that they are suffering from a different condition.

"The person might think that it's malaria and go and self-medicate… and then it might not go well because you are treating something totally different," he said.

Dr Aminarh said access to healthcare was disrupted in several areas during the floods, leaving many sick people unable to reach hospitals and clinics.

"The access to health facilities was cut off," he said.

He also noted that some pharmacies and medicine shops in flood-hit areas may have suffered damage, affecting access to medication for people managing chronic illnesses such as hypertension and diabetes.

Flooding has long been associated with increases in waterborne diseases, skin infections and mosquito-borne illnesses such as malaria.

Stagnant pools of water left behind by floods provide breeding grounds for mosquitoes, increasing the risk of transmission.

The doctor further warned that people who wade through floodwaters could suffer cuts and injuries that expose them to infections because the water often contains sewage and other contaminants.

He said health authorities are now focusing on both prevention and ensuring that people receive treatment quickly.

"We are doing more prevention, and we're also going for early access to healthcare," he said.

The warning comes as Ghana enters another period of heavy rainfall, with meteorological authorities forecasting more rains in parts of the country in the coming days.

Flood experts and health officials have repeatedly cautioned that delayed treatment after flooding can worsen disease outcomes and increase pressure on health facilities.