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Ghana’s development partners in the health sector have been urged to prioritise and support the nation’s fight against Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) to improve the socio-economic livelihoods of affected persons. Mr Raphael Godlove Ahenu, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Global Media Foundation (GloMeF), a media advocacy and human rights Non-Governmental Organisation, made the call at the launch of a fund-raising campaign at Abesim, near Sunyani.
The Star Ghana Foundation is supporting the campaign, which aligns with GloMeF’s 2026 commitment to strengthening locally driven support for vulnerable communities.
Mr Ahenu advocated for the inclusion of NTDs in the global fund for malaria, tuberculosis and HIV, expressing concern that NTDs such as elephantiasis were prevalent in peri-urban and rural communities across the country. He lamented the appalling living conditions of affected persons, particularly women, who due to complications from elephantiasis, Buruli ulcer and yaws, were unable to cater for themselves and their families.
“The adverse economic effects of NTDs on the nation require that our global partners support us to fund, manage and stem NTDs in the country,” Mr Ahenu stressed. He noted that accessing funding support remained a major challenge for many NGOs and civil society organisations, saying: “Countries like Denmark and the United States have cut their funding support, putting pressure on NGOs and CSOs.”
Mr Ahenu commended the Spanish Anesvad Foundation for its continuous support in fighting NTDs, which has made significant impact in NTD-prone areas such as Asunafo North District in Ahafo, and Tain, Sunyani West and Dormaa Municipalities in the Bono Region. Globally, more than one billion people were affected by NTDs as of 2023, Mr Ahenu said, adding that the disease was common in Africa, Asia and Latin America and was surging in Ghana.
He identified poor sanitation and poverty as major causes of NTD spread and urged improved waste management and sanitation nationwide. Touching on the campaign, Mr Clement Boateng, Country Director of GloMeF, said it aimed to raise support for children, women and elderly persons affected by skin NTDs in rural communities in the Bono and Ahafo regions.
He expressed concern that many affected persons faced stigmatization, discrimination, loss of livelihoods and limited access to healthcare, and appealed to institutions, wealthy individuals, religious bodies and philanthropists to support the campaign to improve their lives.
