By Dennis Peprah
Sunyani, July 26, GNA – The Ghana Health Service (GHS) says it needs the cooperation and support of Ghanaians for mass drug administration to eliminate the Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) in the country by 2030.
According to Dr Joseph Opare, the Programme Manager, of NTDs, that support was required because many carriers of, particularly, the Lymphatic Filariasis (elephantiasis) parasite in the country were unaware that they had the infection.
He said the FL parasite was transmitted through a mosquito bite, saying many people, particularly in the NTDs endemic communities in the country had a higher risk of being infected with the parasite.
Dr Opare said the dangerous aspect of FL was that the incubation period of the parasite took between 20 and 30 years before carriers began to experience, notice or develop symptoms and signs of the FL, especially swellings on parts of the body.
The NTDs Programme Manager made the call when speaking at a stakeholder’s engagement meeting on NTDs in Sunyani, organised by the GHS with support from the American Leprosy Mission (ALM).
Attended by personnel of the Department of Social Welfare, National Health Insurance Authority, Civil Society Organisations and actors as well as the GHS, the engagement formed part of a nationwide advocacy for the inclusion of people living with FL to be captured under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
Dr Opare said though the country had made some successes in the elimination of the NTDs, the burden of the clinical manifestation of elephantiasis remains high in the endemic regions.
He said mass administration of drugs, mobility management and disability prevention remained the surest way to eliminate the NTDs by 2030.
Just about six years to go, Dr Opare said leprosy was endemic in 140 districts, Buruli Ulcer, in 98 districts, onchocerciasis, in seven endemic districts, and elephantiasis in 116 endemic districts, saying the country had been able to eliminate trachoma, guinea worm and sleeping sickness.
Globally, Dr Prince Quarshie, the Deputy Director, Public Health, at Bono Regional Health Directorate said about one billion people were affected with NTDs, saying the disease was very common among the poor in society.
Dr Quarshie said it was untrue that NTDs were linked to witchcraft, wizardry and family curse and therefore called on the general public to help identify and assist people with the condition to access drugs, mitigate their sufferings and thereby make life better for them.
That, he added, remained the surest way the country could eliminate the NTDs by 2030.
GNA