Efforts to control and eliminate skin-related neglected tropical diseases are gaining renewed momentum in Ghana as the Anesvad Foundation begins a field mission to document the impact of its long-term partnership with the Ghana Health Service.
The delegation from Anesvad Foundation, led by Elssie Ansareo, is in the country to assess progress under a multi-year intervention focused on the control, elimination and eventual eradication of skin-related neglected tropical diseases, including yaws, Buruli ulcer and leprosy.
What began in 2018 with 15 districts has steadily expanded through successive phases. Following the addition of nine districts in the second phase and two more districts in the current phase — Ellembelle and Wenchi — the programme now covers 26 districts across eight regions of the country.
This growing footprint reflects not only the scale of the intervention but also the increasing national commitment to tackling diseases that disproportionately affect vulnerable and underserved communities.
The visiting team, accompanied by the Acting Programme Manager of the National Buruli Ulcer Control and Yaws Eradication Programme of the Ghana Health Service, Horlali Yao Gudjinu, paid a courtesy call on the Eastern Regional Health Directorate to brief officials on the purpose of the mission.
Speaking on behalf of the Eastern Regional Director of Health Services, Samuel Bortei Borlabi assured the delegation of the region’s full support and praised the foundation’s sustained contribution to testing, treatment and disease surveillance.
At the Ayensuano District Health Directorate, data presented during the visit highlighted significant gains in disease control.
Confirmed yaws cases declined sharply from 54 in 2017 to just two in 2020, with a modest increase to 15 in 2025. Buruli ulcer cases also showed an overall downward trend, while leprosy recorded zero cases in 2022 and 2023 before four cases were detected again in 2025.
These figures underscore the value of sustained surveillance, early diagnosis and continuous community engagement in preventing resurgence.
District Director of Health Services for Ayensuano, Francis Kwotua Apungu, commended the foundation for its practical support, particularly the provision of a vehicle which has significantly improved mobility for health workers and strengthened both NTD activities and wider public health outreach.
The delegation also visited the Duodukrom CHPS Compound, where community members shared how early detection and treatment have helped prevent disease progression into severe forms that can cause lifelong deformities and social stigma.
At the Duodukrom D/A Basic School, the team observed sensitisation sessions and screening exercises, reaffirming the importance of school and community-based awareness in the fight against neglected tropical diseases.
Later in the week, the delegation is expected to continue to Ellembelle to assess readiness for the third phase of the programme, particularly as the district joins the intervention for the first time.
The initiative represents a coordinated national effort involving the National Buruli Ulcer and Yaws Eradication Programme, the National Leprosy Programme and the Neglected Tropical Diseases Programme under the Ghana Health Service, with funding support from the Anesvad Foundation.
As Ghana expands coverage and deepens collaboration with global partners, health leaders say the country is making steady progress toward reducing the burden of skin-related neglected tropical diseases and protecting communities from preventable disability, stigma and long-term health inequality.
