By Muniratu Akweley Issah
Sogakope, (V/R), Jan. 31, GNA – About 12 million people in Ghana are at risk of contracting Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD), Dr. Frank Lule, Country Representative, World Health Organisation (WHO), has said.
Dr Lule attributed the situation to inadequate access to clean water, sanitation and hygienic facilities, which continued to drive transmission of the diseases in underserved communities.
The WHO Country Representative made these remarks at the celebration of World NTDs Day, 2025 at Sogakope in the South Tongu District of the Volta Region, on the global theme: “Unite, Act to eliminate NTDs.”
NTDs are a diverse group of conditions that mainly occur in tropical regions, where they thrive among individuals living in impoverished communities and are caused by various pathogens.
This includes viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi, and toxins, responsible for devastating health, social, and economic consequences.
They Day is celebrated every year since 2020 to create awareness and maximize efforts to achieving WHO target, which requires controlling, eliminating and eradicating NTDs by the year 2030.
Dr Lule said NTDs continued to impact on the health and well-being of millions of people, particularly those living in rural and underserved communities in Ghana, hence, the need for effective collaboration among all sectors in battling the disease.
He, however, noted a significant progress made in the global Mass Administration Campaigns, which had drastically reduced the burden of lymphatic filariasis, and onchocerciasis.
He said, “Even here in Ghana, we have already eradicated guinea worm, trachoma and eradicated African trypanosomiasis.”
The WHO Representative said as Ghana intensified efforts in fighting the diseases, a renewed partnership and collaboration was key.
“We must foster stronger collaboration between government, civil society, academia and the private sector and together with the academia we can mobilise resources in fighting the diseases,” he added.
Dr Hafiz Adam Taher, Chief Director, Ministry of Health (MOH), reaffirmed government’s commitment to achieving Sustainable Development Goals, particularly the Goal three (SDG3) which strived to ensure healthy lives and promotion of well-being for all Ghanaians.
He said the Ministry had played a significant role in the progress made in fighting against the diseases, which had been through the strengthening of the Inter-Country Coordinating Committee (ICCC) on Health and Care.
Dr Taher, who is also the Chairman of the NTD ICCC, also noted the inclusion of the NTD services within the National Health Insurance Authority, and the NTD information in Home Visit Registrar for Early Detention as another milestone in the progress made so far.
Dr Chrysantus kubio, Volta Regional Director of Health Services, indicated that the theme demonstrated community commitment to combating NTDs, mobilizing political will, securing more resources for NTDs, and promoting political leadership and ownership in affected districts in Ghana.
He said the diseases were called neglected because they were almost absent from the global health agenda.
He said it was important to share information on the elimination of the diseases, which includes country successes, sharing the path down spotlights, and sharing what the challenges preventing the programme from achieving a set goal.
GNA