Coverage of preventive measures and surveillance for neglected tropical diseases in hard-to-reach communities in Ghana

Abstract

Background Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a major public health burden which mainly afects poor popula‑ tions living in tropical environments and hard-to-reach areas. The study sought to examine coverage of preventive eforts, and case surveillance for NTDs in hard-to-reach communities in Ghana. Methods The study investigated treatment eforts for lymphatic flariasis (LF), and onchocerciasis and schistoso‑ miasis/soil transmitted helminths (SCH/STH) at household level, in difcult-to-access communities in Ghana. A total of 621 households were sampled from 6 communities in the Western, Oti and Greater Accra regions. Results Over 95% of the households surveyed were covered under mass drug administration (MDA) campaigns for lymphatic flariasis (LF) and onchocerciasis. More than 80% of households had received at least two visits by com‑ munity drug distributors under the MDA campaigns in the last two years preceding the study. In addition, over 90% of households in the LF and onchocerciasis endemic communities had at least one member using anthelminthic medications under the MDA campaigns in the 12 months preceding the study. However, households where no mem‑ ber had taken anthelminthic medications in 12 months preceding the study were over 6 times likely to have someone in the household with LF. Conclusions This study determined that SCH/STH, LF and onchocerciasis are of serious public health concern in some communities in Ghana. There is an urgent need for holistic practical disease control plan involving both fnan‑ cial and community support to ensure total control of NTDs in difcult-to-access communities is achieved.