Accra: The Ghana National Consortium on Neglected Tropical Diseases (GHAC-NTDs) has called on the Ghana Health Service (GHS) and other stakeholders to strengthen collaboration towards eliminating Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) in Ghana by 2030. The appeal was made as Ghana joined the global community to mark World NTD Day under the theme: 'Unite, Act, Eliminate NTDs and Related Diseases.'
According to Ghana Web, GHAC-NTDs emphasized the importance of effective collaboration to establish a national NTD fund. This initiative aims to ensure sustainable financing, reduce reliance on external donors, and promote local ownership of NTD programs. The consortium, comprising Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and health advocates, highlighted that although Ghana had successfully eliminated Guinea worm, trachoma, and Human African Trypanosomiasis, 14 out of the 21 recognized NTDs still persisted in the country.
Dr. Peter Ndonwie, the National Chairman of GHAC-NTDs, noted in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that more than 12 million Ghanaians remain at risk of contracting NTDs due to poverty, poor sanitation, and limited access to healthcare. He pointed out that current interventions were fragmented and uncoordinated, hindering progress towards total elimination.
Dr. Ndonwie acknowledged the leadership of the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service but noted challenges faced by CSOs in participating meaningfully in national planning. These challenges include limited access to information, lack of transparency in data on disease prevalence and resource allocation, and policy formulation processes that often exclude community-level perspectives.
He further expressed concern about inadequate budgetary allocations for NTDs at both national and district levels, leading to a heavy dependence on declining donor support. Dr. Ndonwie called on the government to formally integrate CSOs into the Intra-Country Coordinating Committee (ICCC) at national, regional, and district levels to enhance collaborative planning, implementation, and monitoring.
Dr. Ndonwie also urged the rapid implementation of the End NTDs Fund, announced in 2025, with transparent mechanisms that allow CSOs to access resources for community-led interventions. He advocated for the establishment of a shared digital surveillance platform to enable real-time data exchange between government health facilities and CSO field teams.
He called for a shift from vertical, drug-focused interventions to integrated primary healthcare approaches that include disability management, mental health support, community rehabilitation, and stigma reduction for affected individuals.
Jonathan Adabre Atia, the National Secretary of GHAC-NTDs, stated that the consortium was ready to deploy its extensive network of experienced members, volunteers, and advocates to support the Ghana NTD Sustainability Plan (2023-2026). He expressed confidence that eliminating NTDs in Ghana was achievable if all stakeholders worked together, emphasizing that NTD elimination was not just a dream but a target within reach with collective action.