Ghana: Accelerating neglected tropical disease control in a setting of economic development

Hotez, Peter J.; Biritwum, Nana‐Kwadwo; Fenwick, Alan; Molyneux, David; Sachs, Jeffrey D.

doi:10.1371/journal.pntd.0007005

Cited by 16 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…The Onchocerciasis Control Programme (OCP) started in 1974 through vector control activities and later through the administration of ivermectin from 1987 [27, 39]. The 2017 Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study reported a 93% reduction in the prevalence of onchocerciasis in Ghana from 2000 to 2017 [40]. However, an estimated 4.7 million people in 3,115 communities in 85 endemic districts from nine out of the ten regions remained at risk from the disease [41], with infection levels being 100 times the WHO threshold in some endemic communities [27].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing the Progress towards Achieving “VISION 2020: The Right to Sight” Initiative in Ghana

Morny

Boadi-Kusi

Ocansey

et al. 2019

Journal of Environmental and Public Health

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Purpose. The aim of this study was to analyse eye health delivery in Ghana and examine the progress towards achieving VISION 2020 indicator targets. Methods. This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted between October 2017 and May 2018. It used a mixed method approach including desk-based reviews, a questionnaire-based survey of eye facilities in Ghana, and interviews with eye health system stakeholders to collect information on eye health delivery in facilities owned by the Ghana Health Service (GHS), quasigovernmental bodies (security agencies), and Christian Association of Ghana (CHAG). The information was benchmarked against the World Health Organization (WHO) targets for achieving the goals of VISION 2020. Results. The magnitude of blindness and moderate to severe visual impairment (without pinhole) was 0.9% and 3.0%, respectively. The number of ophthalmologists available at the country level was 80.6% of the VISION 2020 target with optometrists and ophthalmic nurses exceeding targets for VISION 2020. The distribution of human resources was heavily skewed towards two out of the 10 regions in Ghana. Cataract surgical rate was low and met 25% of the WHO target. Basic equipment for refraction was available in the majority of facilities; however, there was a general lack of specialised eye care equipment across the country. Comparatively, CHAG facilities were better equipped than GHS facilities at the same level. Conclusion. The Government of Ghana should revitalize the goals of VISION 2020 beyond the year 2020 and spearhead a concerted effort to ensure equitable distribution of human and infrastructural resources across the country.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing the Progress towards Achieving “VISION 2020: The Right to Sight” Initiative in Ghana

Morny

Boadi-Kusi

Ocansey

et al. 2019

Journal of Environmental and Public Health

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“…Moreover, mHealth data from a smartphone application integrated with streaming data sources have supported healthcare delivery, laboratory diagnostic tests and data collection and allowed for the operation of a national-level disease reporting and health surveillance with fine geolocated data at a low cost. [74][75][76][77][78][79]…”

Section: Mhealth Applications and Risk Assessment In Travellersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Measuring mobility, disease connectivity and individual risk: a review of using mobile phone data and mHealth for travel medicine

Lai

Farnham

Ruktanonchai

et al. 2019

Journal of Travel Medicine

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Rationale for review:The increasing mobility of populations allows pathogens to move rapidly and far, making endemic or epidemic regions more connected to the rest of the world than at any time in history. However, the ability to measure and monitor human mobility, health risk and their changing patterns across spatial and temporal scales using traditional data sources has been limited. To facilitate a better understanding of the use of emerging mobile phone technology and data in travel medicine, we reviewed relevant work aiming at measuring human mobility, disease connectivity and health risk in travellers using mobile geopositioning data. Key findings:Despite some inherent biases of mobile phone data, analysing anonymized positions from mobile users could precisely quantify the dynamical processes associated with contemporary human movements and connectivity of infectious diseases at multiple temporal and spatial scales. Moreover, recent progress in mobile health (mHealth) technology and applications, integrating with mobile positioning data, shows great potential for innovation in travel medicine to monitor and assess real-time health risk for individuals during travel. Conclusions:Mobile phones and mHealth have become a novel and tremendously powerful source of information on measuring human movements and origin-destination-specific risks of infectious and non-infectious health issues. The high penetration rate of mobile phones across the globe provides an unprecedented opportunity to quantify human mobility and accurately estimate the health risks in travellers. Continued efforts are needed to establish the most promising uses of these data and technologies for travel health.

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“…Recent surveys in endemic communities in Ghana have suggested reduced efficacy for ivermectin against O. volvulus while persistent LF 'hotspots' remain after almost two decades of MDA [17][18][19]. Moreover, SCH remains endemic [20] and praziquantel does not prevent reinfection, infection rates tending to return to high values within 24 months [2]. Identified threats to the MDA programme include negative propaganda about the safety of the drugs, experiences of side reactions associated with treatment, lack of donor drugs for some NTDs and inability of the government to sustain the programme after cessation of donor support [11].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Antischistosomal, antionchocercal and antitrypanosomal potentials of some Ghanaian traditional medicines and their constituents

et al. 2020

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Background Ghana is endemic for some neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) including schistosomiasis, onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis. The major intervention for these diseases is mass drug administration of a few repeatedly recycled drugs which is a cause for major concern due to reduced efficacy of the drugs and the emergence of drug resistance. Evidently, new treatments are needed urgently. Medicinal plants, on the other hand, have a reputable history as important sources of potent therapeutic agents in the treatment of various diseases among African populations, Ghana inclusively, and provide very useful starting points for the discovery of much-needed new or alternative drugs. Methodology/Principal findings In this study, extracts of fifteen traditional medicines used for treating various NTDs in local communities were screened in vitro for efficacy against schistosomiasis, onchocerciasis and African trypanosomiasis. Two extracts, NTD-B4-DCM and NTD-B7-DCM, prepared from traditional medicines used to treat schistosomiasis, displayed the highest activity (IC50 = 30.5 μg/mL and 30.8 μg/mL, respectively) against Schistosoma mansoni adult worms. NTD-B2-DCM, also obtained from an antischistosomal remedy, was the most active against female and male adult Onchocera ochengi worms (IC50 = 76.2 μg/mL and 76.7 μg/mL, respectively). Antitrypanosomal assay of the extracts against Trypanosoma brucei brucei gave the most promising results (IC50 = 5.63 μg/mL to 18.71 μg/mL). Incidentally, NTD-B4-DCM and NTD-B2-DCM, also exhibited the greatest antitrypanosomal activities (IC50 = 5.63 μg/mL and 7.12 μg/mL, respectively). Following the favourable outcome of the antitrypanosomal screening, this assay was selected for bioactivity-guided fractionation. NTD-B4-DCM, the most active extract, was fractionated and subsequent isolation of bioactive constituents led to an eupatoriochromene-rich oil (42.6%) which was 1.3-fold (IC50 <0.0977 μg/mL) more active than the standard antitrypanosomal drug, diminazene aceturate (IC50 = 0.13 μg/mL). Conclusion/Significance These findings justify the use of traditional medicines and demonstrate their prospects towards NTDs drug discovery.

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Ghana: Accelerating neglected tropical disease control in a setting of economic development

Cited by 16 publications

References 36 publications

Assessing the Progress towards Achieving “VISION 2020: The Right to Sight” Initiative in Ghana

Assessing the Progress towards Achieving “VISION 2020: The Right to Sight” Initiative in Ghana

Measuring mobility, disease connectivity and individual risk: a review of using mobile phone data and mHealth for travel medicine

Antischistosomal, antionchocercal and antitrypanosomal potentials of some Ghanaian traditional medicines and their constituents

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