World Vision Ghana Convenes First Meeting on Ending Neglected Tropical Diseases
By, Vivian Adu, Communications Officer
World Vision Ghana, in partnership with the Ministry of Health has convened the inaugural meeting of Ghana’s Intra-Country Coordinating Committee (ICCC) for Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), marking a major step toward establishing a national End NTDs Fund to sustain progress in eliminating these diseases.
The meeting, held at the Ministry of Health Auditorium in Accra, brought together stakeholders, including ICCC members, technical partners, the National NTD Programme (NTDP), Ghana Health Service, and private sector representatives.
Opening remarks were delivered by Solomon Ananya, , Project Manager for Neglected Tropical Diseases at World Vision Ghana, who outlined the objectives and methodology for the day’s deliberations.
Dr. Hafez Adam Taher, Chair of the Intra-Country Coordinating Committee and Director of the Technical Coordination Directorate at the Ministry of Health, welcomed participants and emphasised the importance of coordinated action to secure sustainable financing for interventions addressing neglected tropical diseases. This was followed by a technical overview from Dr. Joseph Opare, Programme Manager for the national neglected tropical diseases programme, highlighting Ghana’s priorities in the post-Act|West context.
The keynote address, delivered by Rev. Dr. Joyce Aryee, focused on the World Health Organization 2030 Roadmap to end neglected tropical diseases by 2030 and Ghana’s national sustainability plan. She stressed the need for innovative financing mechanisms and strong partnerships to maintain progress.
Discussions centred on developing a financing roadmap and partnership models for the End NTDs Fund, integrating NTD activities with other national health programmes such as immunisation and malaria elimination, and strengthening decentralised Intra-Country Coordinating Committee structures in key regions.
Participants also explored advocacy strategies, including unified messaging for national ambassadors and plans for a national webinar to raise visibility and awareness ahead of World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day.
The meeting concluded with agreement on key next steps, including formalising a technical working group to drive programme integration, refining the framework for the national fund, and advancing advocacy initiatives to ensure the long-term sustainability of efforts to eliminate neglected tropical diseases in Ghana.
