2024 mass drug administration launched in Koforidua
By Selorm GBORBIDZI, Accra
The Eastern Regional Minister, Seth Kwame Acheampong, has launched the 2024 Mass Drug Administration programme in the Eastern regional capital, Koforidua.
The programme is meant to tackle about 20 Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) which are endemic in the region.
They include onchocerciasis (river blindness), elephantiasis, schistosomiasis (sleeping sickness), soil transmitted helminthiasis, buruli ulcer, yaws, leprosy, human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness), and scabies.
According to Mr Acheampong, the geographical conditions and features of the Eastern region have been very conducive for the transmission of some of these diseases, although he acknowledged the efforts of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) and its partners in past years to bring these diseases under control and bring them to safe and manageable levels in the region and the country at large.
He said the primary goal of the national programme is to break transmission of NTDs by 2030, with the adoption of three strategies for the elimination of some of these diseases, such as Mass drug administration in all endemic districts, morbidity control and management and the provision of health education in all targeted endemic communities.
The 2024 Mass Drug Administration will undertake drug administration in 81 endemic districts in the country. These include four districts for elephantiasis and 77 districts for river blindness.
Some of the targeted districts are Kwahu Afram Plains North, Kwahu Afram Plains South and Kwahu East districts.
