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The Ashanti Regional Health Directorate of the Ghana Health Service has commemorated this year’s World Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) Day under the theme, “Unite, Act, Eliminate.” Observed annually on January 30th, the event aims to raise awareness and accelerate efforts to eradicate these often-overlooked diseases.
Neglected tropical diseases are a diverse group of conditions caused by various pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi, and toxins.
These diseases, which include leprosy, lymphatic filariasis, schistosomiasis, and rabies, disproportionately affect impoverished communities in tropical areas, resulting in devastating health, social, and economic consequences.
Dr. Fred Adomako Boateng, Ashanti Regional Health Director, highlighted the prevalence of NTDs among vulnerable populations.
He explained that despite being less known, these diseases affect over a billion people worldwide, with 1.6 billion requiring interventions such as prevention and treatment.
“NTDs are mainly prevalent among impoverished communities in tropical areas, although some have a much larger geographical distribution. Their epidemiology is complex, often tied to environmental conditions.
“Many are vector-borne, have animal reservoirs, and involve complex life cycles, which makes public health control efforts very challenging,” Dr. Boateng stated.
He further stressed the impact of these diseases on individuals and communities, noting that they often cause blindness, disabilities, disfigurement, and even death.
“Children are unable to attend school, and people are prevented from earning a living and caring for their families. This has a huge impact on families, communities, and national economies, as people are kept from the workplace and require ongoing treatment throughout their lives,” he added.
Dr. Boateng urged Ghanaians, particularly residents in the Ashanti Region, to actively participate in the fight against NTDs. “We must all join hands to support campaigns and efforts to eliminate these diseases, such as leprosy, from our communities,” he advised.
According to WHO, remarkable progress has been made globally, with 54 countries eliminating at least one NTD by December 2024.
In 2024 alone, seven countries succeeded in eliminating an NTD, contributing to the total of 75 elimination processes acknowledged by WHO. The organisation remains optimistic about its goal of achieving elimination in 100 countries by 2030.
The Ashanti Regional Health Directorate’s awareness efforts are a step forward in uniting communities to act decisively and eliminate the burden of NTDs.
