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 to eliminate Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) in Ghana by 2030.
According to Ghana News Agency, the call was made as Ghana joined the global community to mark World NTD Day under the theme: 'Unite, Act, Eliminate NTDs and Related Diseases.' GHAC-NTDs emphasized the need for effective collaboration to establish a national NTD fund. This fund is essential to ensure sustainable financing, reduce reliance on external donors, and promote local ownership of NTD programs.
The consortium, which includes Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and health advocates, highlighted that while Ghana has successfully eliminated Guinea worm, trachoma, and Human African Trypanosomiasis, 14 out of the 21 recognized NTDs still persist in the country.
During an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Dr. Peter Ndonwie, the National Chairman of GHAC-NTDs, revealed that over 12 million Ghanaians remain at risk of contracting NTDs due to factors such as poverty, poor sanitation, and limited access to healthcare. Dr. Ndonwie pointed out that current interventions are fragmented and uncoordinated, which hampers progress towards total elimination.
He 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.
Dr. Ndonwie also expressed concern over inadequate budgetary allocations for NTDs at both national and district levels, which has led to a heavy dependence on declining donor support for elimination efforts. He urged the government to formally integrate CSOs into the Intra-Country Coordinating Committee (ICCC) at national, regional, and district levels to strengthen collaborative planning, implementation, and monitoring.
He called for the rapid implementation of the End NTDs Fund, announced in 2025, with transparent mechanisms allowing CSOs to access resources for community-led interventions. Additionally, 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.
Dr. Ndonwie emphasized the need to 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.
Mr. Jonathan Adabre Atia, the National Secretary of GHAC-NTDs, stated that the consortium is 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 is achievable if all stakeholders collaborate effectively.
He concluded by asserting that NTD elimination is not just a dream, but a target within reach with a collective effort from all stakeholders.