The Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu believes it is time for a vibrant, resilient pest and vector control industry to be established in Ghana.
According to him, such an industry is very crucial, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Covid-19 has taught us that as a society we need to prioritise ourselves in readiness to combat natural disasters and not adopt firefighting approaches,” the Minister said.
Dr. Agyeman-Manu made the call when he launched the Pest and Vector Control Association of Ghana (PEVAG) in Accra on Tuesday, June 15, 2021.
According to him, recent happenings in the global landscape have made it imperative for the country to develop a resilient pest and vector control industry.
“In doing so, there is the need for clear policy direction and legislation to properly regulate and streamline the sector,” he said.
“My ministry is ready to work with all the stakeholders to get this done within the shortest possible time,” he firmly assured.
While praising the founders of PEVAG, the Health Minister indicated that it was also imperative that the pest and vector control space was sanitised by “building the capacity of players to respond appropriately and in a timely manner.”
The capacity building of players, he said, would also address the need to streamline the handling and application of chemicals used in the control of the various pest and vectors.
“Controlling vectors such as mosquitoes that transmit the malaria parasite, rats that transmit the bacteria that cause vectors to cause diseases, flies cause cholera and dysentery can be a daunting task.”
Against this backdrop, he encouraged the Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) and the Metropolitan Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to prioritise pest and vectors as well as disinfection of public places and other high-risk areas now without waiting for another pandemic to strike.
The Executive Chairman, Jospong Group of Companies, Dr. Joseph Siaw Agyepong, who spoke at the event, noted that the Covid-19 pandemic has given them loads of experience in fighting pandemics.
To this end, he expressed PEVAG’s readiness to help the country in fighting and preventing diseases caused by vectors and pest.
Mr. Ebenezer K. Ampah Sarpong who represented the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), was full of praise for the founders of PEVAG.
About PEVAG
The Pest and Vector Control Association of Ghana (PEVAG) was formed in March 2020 and currently has over 150 member companies nationwide.
PEVAG aims to bring together the various industry players, ensure standardization, help improve their operations through capacity building, and solidify the efforts of state agencies to combat the increasing spate of pests and vector infestation in our cities.