The National Ambassador for Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), Dr Joyce Aryee, has called on the government to scale up efforts in the fight against NTDs.
Elephantiasis, Bilharzia, River Blindness, Trachoma and Intestinal Worm Infections are among NTDs that affect the vulnerable in rural Ghana.
According to Ms Aryee, preventing NTDs is crucial to ending extreme poverty.
Speaking to Class91.3FM’s Jerry Akornor after a press briefing by the Ghana Health Service in Accra, Dr Aryee charged the public to take their personal hygiene seriously.
The former Board Chair of the Ghana Chamber of Mines cautioned Ghanaians to lead healthy lifestyles so as not to exacerbate such diseases.
Among other things, she wants Ghanaians to keep their environments clean and maintain good personal hygiene.
She further called for the intensification of public education to prevent the spread of such diseases.
Dr Aryee is also advocating a special awards category as part of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) awards to motivate more reports from journalists to help curb the rate of infections of such diseases.
For his part, the NTDs Programme Manager at the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Dr Benjamin Marfo, said Ghana is endemic with Elephantiasis, River Blindness, Trachoma, Bilharzia and Intestinal Worm Infections but depends on metropolitan, municipal and district Assemblies for effective control.
Elephantiasis is endemic in 98 out of 216 districts in Ghana; River Blindness is endemic in 9 out of 16 regions of Ghana (120 districts); Trachoma is endemic in 2 regions (37 districts) and Bilharzia is endemic in all the regions of Ghana.
Dr Marfo urged the public to ensure strict compliance to immunisation protocols.
Source: Ghana/ClassFMonline.com/91.3FM