The meeting brought together heads of second cycle institutions, selected staff of the Ghana services and staff of the Environmental Health Unit of the Municipal Assembly.

In his opening remarks, the Municipal Health Director, Mr. Jacob Amoah disclosed that the rate of spread of bedbugs at the hospitals and schools was very alarming hence the meeting to find solution.

According to him, the meeting was the first of many to be organized to ensure that the Municipality achieved its target of reducing the infestation of bedbug at our health centres and schools.  He called for open discussion to bring the best possible solutions to mitigate the spread of this social canker.

Mr Amoah indicated that the situation was now becoming a security threat to the students and patients at the schools and hospitals and thanked the municipal assembly for showing keen interest in helping to find lasting solution to the insect infestation.

The Municipal Environmental Health Officer, Mr. Charles Asiedu in his presentation noted that bedbugs could not be eradicated by just applying chemicals on them ones.

He disclosed that some characteristics of bedbugs included being active in cold areas, not comfortable in high temperature areas, its ability to stay for longer periods without food and its source of food being blood from its hosts.

On best possible ways of combating the bedbugs, he suggested that personal hygiene was one of the best practices to prevent the spread of the bedbugs.

The Environmental Health Officer again added that the oval shaped insect breeds highly in old boxes spread on mattresses, door and window cases, pictures and picture frames, bed sheets, mattress, cracks and walls.

The house suggested that a professional team noted for fumigating such public places be contacted as soon as possible to help bring down the spread of the insect.

Again it was decided that a team be constituted to undertake an assessment of the Senior High Schools and Hospitals to know the real situation in those places. The fumigation exercise was expected to be carried out during vacation when the students were out of the various campuses.