Environmental Officers in parts of the Eastern region have revealed that they are compelled to use tricycles, popularly known as Aboboya, to convey Covid-19 infected corpses for burial.

The Acting District Environmental Health Officer for Denkyembour said this alternative has been necessitated by the absence of a hearse.

Yaw Akwaa Lartey, who doubles as the President of Environmental Health Officers Alliance Ghana (EHOAG) said the non-availability of a hearse in the various Assemblies and the unwillingness of private hearse operators to transport infected corpses, is making their work difficult.

“We are always forced to hire long KIA vehicles or Aboboyaa when the private hearse owners refuse to carry it, which poses a health risk to the public since the owners do not want their vehicles to be disinfected. They rather collect money for libation but later use the vehicles to convey foodstuffs to market places”.

Mr Akwaa Lartey disclosed this to the media when the district environmental department buried two Covid-19 victims at Akwatia in the Eastern region.

The Environmental Health Officers Alliance Ghana noted that government has turned a deaf ear to their numerous concerns. Thus, they often have to improvise in handling Covid-19 cases and burial.

Due to the insurmountable challenges, the Association is threatening to suspend the burial of all Covid-19 infected corpses in the country if they are not provided with the needed logistics.

The Denkyembour District, according to the President of EHOAG, has been struggling to get PPE's to bury ten Covid-19 corpses.

He described as a worrying situation, government's refusal to provide them with PPE’s in the various Assemblies across the country, to carry out their duties.

According to him, despite the key role played by Environmental Officers in the management of Covid-19, they are being discriminated against in the provision of incentives to health sector workers helping fight the pandemic.

He further added that under the Health Professions Regulatory Bodies Act 2013 (Act 857), there are eighteen bodies including Environmental Health Officers regulated by the Allied Health Professions Council which falls under the Ministry of Health. However, Environmental Health Officers are always sidelined.