Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) are common in tropical areas where people do not have access to clean water or safe ways to dispose of human waste. Notable among them are Buruli Ulcer, Schistosomiasis, Soil Transmitted Helminthiasis, Yaws, Guinea worm, Trachoma, Lymphatic Filariasis, and Leprosy etc. It affects 1.5 billion worldwide, 40% of cases from Africa and Ghana is not excluded.

Its endemicity poses a serious threat to productivity in a nation as it can disfigure and disable, keep children out of school and parents out of work. It’s endemic in poor communities and promotes poverty and intense stigma.

Objectives of the training

1. To reduce infection and morbidity due to worm infestation in school going age (SAC) children
2. To reduce the incidence of worm infestation in children

• To eliminate worm infestation as diseases of public health importance.

A total of 176 teachers, 8 circuit supervisors (SISOs) as well as 8 sub-district health workers distributed across 5 sub-districts and targets 24825 School -Age Children were trained to undertake the exercise.

The District Directors of Health Services together with the Neglected Tropical Diseases Focal Person, the District Health Information Officer, and other trainers of trainees as supervisors attended the training on 7^th November 2023 at the Health Directorate.

Participants were taken through series of presentations by different facilitators; the NTD Focal Person, the District Disease Control Officer, the District Directors of Health.

Participants were taken through some of the major achievements of the NTD Programme as it has helped to eliminate Trachoma finally in Ghana in 2018. Overall prevalence of schistosomiasis has decreased by one-third since 2000.

Onchocerciasis and Lymphatic Filariasis has experienced significant reductions in the parasitological parameters >90%.