Ghana Health Advocate Highlights Progress in WASH and Neglected Tropical Diseases Fight
Health systems advocate and WASH specialist Atoku Ghartey has highlighted remarkable strides being made in the fight against neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) across Ghana, emphasizing community screening, water and sanitation improvements, and frontline health worker empowerment through training.
In a recent professional post on LinkedIn, Ghartey reflected on ongoing efforts to strengthen water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure and integrated skin-NTD programming in underserved communities, part of a broader initiative supported by international partners and local health stakeholders.
“As we drive deeper into the endemic zones, the combination of clean water provision, active case finding, and capacity building is making a real difference in peoples’ lives,” Ghartey wrote, emphasizing the importance of early detection, referral systems, and community education in reducing disease burden.
The discussions around WASH and NTDs align with multi-partner programmes funded by organizations such as the Anesvad Foundation, which has supported projects aimed at expanding safe water access and hygiene practices in skin-NTD endemic areas of Ghana since 2023. These interventions focus on disease prevention, reduction of stigma, and improving quality of life, especially in rural districts where water access and sanitation have historically lagged.
Ghartey also highlighted collaborative work with municipal health workers and local assemblies to conduct community screenings and increase awareness about skin-related NTDs — a group of diseases including Buruli ulcer, leprosy and yaws that disproportionately affect the poorest communities. He noted the critical role of frontline health workers in identifying suspected cases early and facilitating treatment and referral.
These efforts mirror capacity-building initiatives across the country, where targeted training has helped boost health worker confidence and competence in diagnosing and managing skin NTDs — a key step in closing gaps in local health systems.
Beyond clinical outcomes, Ghartey stressed the broader impact of integrated health and WASH agendas in advancing public health. “Clean water is more than a service — it’s a foundation for community dignity, economic participation and resilience against preventable diseases,” he wrote.
His post has drawn attention from stakeholders within Ghana’s public health and development sectors, urging continued investment and community engagement to sustain momentum toward national and global targets for NTD control and eventual elimination.