Ghana has renewed its commitment to the elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), with calls for stronger collaboration, sustained country investment, and community ownership to end such diseases.
Dr Hafiz Adam, the Director of Technical Coordination at the Ministry of Health, made the call on Friday, on behalf of the Health Minister, at a durbar to mark the World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day 2026 in Accra, on the global theme: “Unite. Act. Eliminate.”
He said the commemoration underscored Ghana’s political commitment to tackling NTDs through increased resource mobilisation, stronger leadership at district and community levels, and sustained partnerships.
“The World NTD Day reminds us that these diseases still exist in Ghana, but the good news is that they are preventable, treatable and, in many cases, eliminable,” he said.
Dr Adam commended the development partners for their technical and financial support and praised health workers and community volunteers for their tireless efforts in delivering life-saving interventions across the country.
Globally, neglected tropical diseases affect more than one billion people, largely in impoverished communities, yet they often receive limited attention and funding despite their devastating health, social and economic impact.
Dr Adam said global efforts were yielding results, with the number of people requiring treatment declining significantly as 58 countries had eliminated at least one NTD.
“Ghana is proud to be among these countries, having eliminated three neglected tropical diseases; we have successfully eradicated Guinea worm, trachoma and human African trypanosomiasis,” he said.
In Ghana, 14 NTDs are currently managed under the Ghana Health Service.
These include trachoma, intestinal worms, river blindness (onchocerciasis), bilharzia (schistosomiasis), lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis), Buruli ulcer, leprosy, yaws, sleeping sickness and cutaneous leishmaniasis, which has recently been identified in two regions.
Dr Adam explained that these diseases caused severe health consequences, including blindness, disability, disfigurement, poor growth in children and stigma, but emphasised that early detection and treatment could prevent long-term complications.
“Leprosy, for example, is curable when detected early, while lymphatic filariasis and river blindness can be eliminated through sustained treatment,” he said.
He said Ghana’s strategy for controlling and eliminating NTDs included mass drug administration, early case detection and treatment, health education, behaviour change interventions, and improved access to safe water and sanitation.
He said limited resources remained a major challenge to eradicating NTDs and called for domestic resources mobilisation to sustain the gains made so far.
He urged all stakeholders to unite across sectors, act through strong leadership and adequate funding, and scale up proven interventions to eliminate NTDs.
“As we commemorate World NTD Day 2026, let us renew our commitment to building a healthier and more inclusive Ghana,” he noted.
Dr Robert Amesiya, the Greater Accra Regional Health Director, said stakeholders need to come together to help improve access to safe water and scale up Mass Drug Administration to help curb NTDs.
He called on Traditional leaders to increase vigilance for NTDs and encourage immediate referral to health facilities.
Dr Joyce Aryee, Ghana’s NTD Ambassador, said decisive actions must be taken in addressing those diseases.
“We need to stop calling it Neglected Tropical Diseases and call them Tropical Diseases,” she said.
She entreated society to stop stigmatising persons living with NTDs.
Dr Aryee also asked policy makers to honour Ghana’s commitment under the Kigali Declaration by integrating the financing of NTDs prevention programmes into the National Health Budget and scaling up treatment and education on NTDs at the Primary Healthcare Level.
The event brought together traditional authorities, local government officials, Members of Parliament, health sector leaders, development partners, religious leaders, health workers and community volunteers to discuss the issue.
Neglected Tropical Diseases are a group of infectious diseases that mainly affect poor and vulnerable communities, especially in tropical and subtropical regions in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
They are called “neglected” because they receive less attention, funding, and research compared to diseases like HIV, Tuberculosis, or malaria.
NTD thrive in conditions of poverty, poor sanitation, unsafe water, and limited access to healthcare and can cause long-term disability, stigma, economic hardship, and sometimes death if untreated.
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe
31 Jan 2026
