Increased investments required to address challenges in NTDs fight — Ashanti GHS Director

Increased investments are required to find solutions to existing challenges in the fight against Neglected Tropical Diseases in the country, the Ashanti Regional Director of Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr. Fred Adomako-Boateng, has said.

“We must create a world where the 1.7billion people currently at risk of contracting NTDs are empowered to lead healthy, impactful lives, especially as everybody in Ghana is at risk of an NTD infection”, he stressed.

He added that investments were essential to intensify interventions and campaigns to scale up the fight against NTDs for the benefit of all.

He was addressing the media at an event to commemorate World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region last Friday.

It was on the theme: “Unite, act, eliminate: Advancing Efforts to End Neglected Tropical Diseases”.

The day, which has been set aside to create better awareness of the devastating impact of NTDs on the poorest populations around the world, is also an opportunity to call on everyone to support the growing momentum for the control, elimination and eradication of these diseases.

Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) are a group of 21 parasitic and bacterial diseases which affect about 1.7 billion people in about 149 of the poorest countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

Most of these diseases do not kill but produce debilitating effects, including disfigurement and disability in patients.

Statistics

In 2024, the region recorded 4205 cases of scabies, 1856 cases of schistosomiasis, 229 cases of Yaws, 36 cases of leprosy, 13 cases of lymphatic filariasis, and 10 cases of Buruli ulcer.

In the same vein, the region recorded 6176, 389, 205, 51, 11 and five cases of the aforementioned NTDs in 2025, respectively.

Expectation

Dr Adomako-Boateng called on the government, policymakers, the private sector, health workers, and the general population to support and contribute to the fight against NTDs through financial support and participation in various intervention activities.

“It is important for all stakeholders to be actively involved in all interventions tailored towards tackling NTDs”, he said, stressing “such an action will go a long way to enhance Ghana’s quest to reduce the prevalence rate of NTDs”.

He added that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) cannot be achieved unless we fight against NTDs, which perpetuate poverty among affected individuals.

Early treatment

He advised persons infected by any of the types of NTDs to seek early treatment to prevent the condition from reaching a troubling state, noting “report such conditions early to health professionals towards its effective treatment”.

Further, he cautioned relatives of infected persons to be compassionate toward them and to treat them with the necessary dignity, saying, “We should not neglect them, but rather we should make them feel part of society.”

“One of the surest ways to support persons with NTDs is to draw closer to them and not let them feel ostracised”, he stated

Source: graphic.com