News

Guinea worm, trachoma eradicated in Ghana - GHS

The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has successfully eradicated Guinea worm and trachoma out of the 14 Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) in Ghana, the National Programmes Manager of the NTDs, Mr Benjamin Marfo announced in Accra last Saturday.

The 12 other NTDs are leprosy, buruli ulcer, yaws, river blindness, bilharzia, elephantiasis, sleeping sickness, snakebites poisoning, rabies, intestinal worm infestation, scabies and leishmaniasis.

Mr Marfo said the 12 NTDs persisted in Ghana, while there were 20 others worldwide.

He said this during a health walk organised by the GHS to sensitise the population and the communities on how to curb and manage the NTDs.

The health walk began from the National Aids Control Programme (NACP) compound at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital to the GHS headquarters at the Ministries in Accra.

“When we fight against these NTDs, we can reduce poverty in our societies. When persons have elephantiasis, rabies and others, they are unable to work,” he said.

This year’s World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day would be held on January 30, under the theme, “Beat NTDs: For Good, For All.”

Neglected Tropical Diseases are a diverse group of communicable diseases that prevail in tropical and subtropical conditions, affecting the world’s poorest, most marginalised and remotest communities.

They affect more than 1.5 billion people annually, causing death, blindness, disfigurements, cognitive impairment and other ailments.

The programme was spiced up with an aerobic session for the participants.


BY YUNUSAH ESSANDOH

PHOTO: EBO GORMAN

Show More
Back to top button