Ghana urged to lay foundation for sustained NTDs elimination
Mr Solomon Boakye, the Ashanti Regional Disease Control Officer at Ghana Health service has called on the Government of Ghana to incorporate Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) programme priorities into routine government planning and budgetary to lay the foundation for sustained control and elimination of NTDs
He said to achieve that, there was the need for new and strengthened partnerships from education, finance, workforce, and beyond.
“It will also require a continued commitment of financial and human resources at all levels of the health system,” he added.
Mr Boagye made the call in a press briefing in this years world neglected tropical disease (NTD) day urging Ghanaians to help for a Sustainable Plan for Neglected Tropical Disease.
Dubbed; Act Now. Act together. Invest in neglected tropical disease.
According to Mr Solomon Boakye, the sustainability plan is expected to be a practical guide to support the Ghana Health Service and NTDP in maintaining the momentum towards NTD elimination and control efforts to support the programme and partners in both preventing the transmission of disease and increase access to services by persons affected in the long term.
He said although the country had made significant strides towards the control and elimination of NTDs, there was still much to be done to achieve the World Health Organization’s elimination and control target by 2030.
He urged other stakeholders especially the media to explore platforms through which NTDs Programmes could leverage for greater outcomes.
He added that, most of the district within the Ashanti region has recorded NTD which need to be taking serious to prevent it.
He also debunked an idea that NTD is curse. According to him, everyone is prone to this disease if you don’t take care.
However she explained that “Ghanaians must continue to refuse to accept other NTDs as a fact of life.”
By: Akwadaa Nyame@Silverfm
SOURCE: Filasconews.com
