By Muniratu Akweley Issah
Accra, July 11, GNA – The Ghana Health Service (GHS) is set to administer medication to 77 river blindness endemic districts across the country from July 15 to June 26, 2024.
This will ensure that the 140 endemic districts with onchocerciasis disease, popularly known as river blindness, are protected to interrupt transmission.
The disease, which is also endemic in 31 Sub Saharan African countries, including Ghana, is caused by parasitic worms transmitted by black flies that breed in fast flowing rivers and streams.
It affects the skin and eyes causing blindness to the individual when not treated and the main strategy for the control and elimination of the disease is the interruption of transmission through annual Mass Drug Administration (MDA), using a community directed treatment with Ivermectin medication strategy.
Infection of the disease is usually acquired during childhood, causing hidden damage to the lymphatic system.
Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, Director General of the GHS, who made the announcement at a press briefing in Accra, said the exercise targeted about 5.8 million people.
He said it formed part of the process of eliminating onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis in the country by the year 2030.
Dr Kuma-Aboagye said the exercise would also target three endemic regions (Bono, Bono East and Ellembelle Regions) with lymphatic filariasis, also known as elephantiasis, targeting 440,000 people at risk, which was also endemic in 116 districts in the country.
He explained that health professionals and volunteers would provide a single dose of medication to all eligible individuals from five years and above, excluding pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers and children less than 90 centimetres.
Dr Kuma-Aboagye said although considerable progress had been made in the control of the disease, there was still an enormous task ahead to achieve the Global target of elimination by 2030.
The Director General stated that preventing and controlling Non Tropical Diseases (NTD) was central to ending extreme poverty in the next two decades.
“The onchocerciasis and the lymphatic filariasis can be targeted through a highly effective integrated community treatment approach using drugs that have been proven safe and effective and can be delivered by trained non-health personnel.
“As we launch the Mass Drug Administration today, let us encourage all eligible people concerning the need for NTD medication in the fight against onchocerciasis, lymphatic filariasis and other NTDs and rid our society of these infections,” he stated.
Dr. Joseph Kojo Larbie Opare, Programme Manager, NTD, said the exercise was necessary to help prevent individuals from going blind.
GNA