The Ghana National Consortium on Neglected Tropical Diseases (Ghac-NTDs) has called for radical, coordinated collaboration among the Ghana Health Service (GHS), the Ministry of Health, and other key stakeholders to eliminate Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) in Ghana by 2030.
The call was made in a communiqué issued on Friday, January 30, 2026, in Tamale, to mark World NTD Day, which is being observed globally under the theme “Unite, Act, Eliminate NTDs and Related Diseases.” The Consortium, made up of civil society organisations and health advocates, joined the international community to reflect on progress made and challenges still confronting the fight against NTDs in Ghana.
While commending Ghana for successfully eliminating Guinea worm, trachoma and Human African Trypanosomiasis, Ghac-NTDs expressed concern that 14 out of the 21 recognised NTDs continue to affect communities across the country. According to the Consortium, more than 12 million Ghanaians remain at risk of contracting NTDs, largely due to poverty, poor sanitation and limited access to healthcare.
The Consortium noted that although the Ghana Health Service and the Ministry of Health have demonstrated leadership in the fight against NTDs, current interventions are often fragmented and uncoordinated. This situation, it said, is slowing progress towards the complete elimination of the diseases.
In the statement, Ghac-NTDs highlighted challenges faced by civil society organisations in contributing effectively to national efforts, including limited access to critical data on disease prevalence, top-down policy formulation that excludes community perspectives, and inadequate budgetary allocations for NTDs at both national and district levels. The group warned that the heavy reliance on dwindling donor funding threatens the sustainability of NTD interventions.
As part of its call to action, the Consortium urged government to formally integrate CSOs into the Intra-Country Coordinating Committee at national, regional and district levels to promote inclusive planning, implementation and monitoring. It also called for the swift operationalisation of the “End NTDs Fund” announced in 2025, with transparent mechanisms that allow CSOs to access funding for community-led interventions.
Additionally, Ghac-NTDs appealed for the creation of a shared digital surveillance platform to enable real-time data exchange between government health facilities and CSOs working at the community level. The Consortium further advocated a shift from vertical, drug-focused interventions to more integrated, person-centred primary healthcare approaches that include disability management, mental health support, community rehabilitation and stigma reduction.
The Consortium reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the Ghana NTD Sustainability Plan (2023–2026), stating that it is ready to deploy its nationwide network of experienced members, volunteers and advocates to complement government efforts.
The communiqué was signed by the National Chairman of Ghac-NTDs, Dr. Peter Ndonwie, and the National Secretary, Mr. Jonathan Adabre Atia, who expressed confidence that with collective action and genuine partnership, the elimination of NTDs in Ghana by 2030 remains an achievable goal.
Source: A1 Radio | Joshua Asaah| Bolgatanga
