Credit: Kingsley Mamore, GNA
Worawora (O/R), March 25, GNA – Recent assessments in the Nkwanta North District of the Oti Region have revealed lingering cases of yaws, Buruli ulcer and elephantiasis, particularly in rural communities.
Health authorities have therefore raised an alarm over persistent cases of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) in parts of the Region, despite ongoing interventions to eliminate them.
Dr Kofi Amo-Kodieh, the Oti Regional Director of Health Services, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), attributed the situation to poor sanitation, inadequate access to clean water and limited healthcare services which continue to hinder efforts to eliminate the diseases.
“The persistence of these diseases is linked to gaps in water, sanitation and hygiene, as well as access to healthcare,” he said.
He noted that the Ghana Health Service (GHS) was intensifying disease surveillance, strengthening health systems and scaling up community engagement to curb the trend.
Dr Amo-Kodieh urged residents to adopt proactive measures, including maintaining good personal and environmental hygiene and reporting symptoms early for prompt treatment.
He stressed that improved access to potable water, proper sanitation and early treatment remained critical to breaking the chain of transmission.
The Oti Regional Health Directorate is therefore calling for stronger collaboration among stakeholders to eliminate NTDs and safeguard public health.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah/Benjamin Mensah