Dr Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) said this at the Wastewater and Environmental Surveillance (WES) Meeting 2026, held in Accra on Tuesday. 

The meeting, on the theme: “Harnessing wastewater and environmental surveillance – A One Health and disease control tool,” was organised by the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in collaboration with the GHS. 

It brought together scientists, health experts, and policymakers from Ghana and beyond to explore how wastewater and sewage data could be used to detect diseases early and protect communities. 

Dr Akoriyea disclosed that Ghana had already begun applying environmental surveillance approaches, particularly in polio eradication efforts, and was now exploring their use in monitoring other infectious diseases. 

He described the WES as one of the most promising tools in the country’s public health system, noting that it enabled early detection of pathogens -often before clinical cases are reported – allowing for timely interventions. 

He said insights from ongoing work demonstrated the value of integrating wastewater data with traditional clinical surveillance systems, although key priorities remained. 

Dr Akoriyea emphasised the need for stronger collaboration across sectors, including health, environment, water and sanitation, academia, and policy, noting that effective implementation depended on a true One Health approach. 

He stressed the importance of sustained investment, saying surveillance must not be treated as a short-term project but embedded within national health systems with adequate funding, infrastructure, and skilled personnel. 

Dr Akoriyea called for sustainable financing to support wastewater and environmental surveillance for polio and other pathogens in Ghana. 

“We must leverage innovation, advances in genomics, data science, and artificial intelligence, and ensure that the data generated translates into action,” he said. 

Dr Kate Medlicott, Technical Lead for Sanitation and Wastewater at the World Health Organization (WHO), called for harmonised protocols and standard operating procedures for WES. 

She noted that while standardisation was necessary, systems should remain flexible to allow for innovation and continuous learning, highlighting the importance of data standards and sharing agreements. 

Dr Medlicott said the WES should complement existing health systems and urged countries to tailor approaches to their local needs. 

“We need to ensure WES is embedded into health systems and strategies, not just as pilot projects, but as part of broader disease control frameworks,” she said.