WASH holds key to eliminating Neglected Tropical Diseases – Stakeholders

Stakeholders at the National Learning Exchange on District-Wide Approaches (DWAs) have drawn attention to the importance of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in the prevention and elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) in Ghana.

The stakeholder, therefore, calls for stronger collaboration between the health and WASH sectors to achieve national and global targets by 2030.

The event was organised by IRC in collaboration with the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), the Coalition of NGOs in Water and Sanitation (CONIWAS), WaterAid, and other partners.

The event was on the theme “Strengthening Local Systems to Deliver Safe and Sustainable WASH Services for All by 2030.”

Dr Yaw Adusi-Poku, Programme Manager of the National Leprosy Control Programme at the Ghana Health Service, said poor WASH conditions remain a major driver of skin-related NTDs such as leprosy, yaws, and Buruli ulcer.

He stressed that access to clean water, proper sanitation, and good hygiene practices is central to disease prevention, control, and elimination.

He explained that the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) 2021–2030 NTD roadmap identifies WASH as one of five core strategic interventions for combating the diseases, alongside preventive chemotherapy, individual case management, vector control, and veterinary public health.

He noted that Ghana has integrated WASH into its NTD Master Plan (2021–2025), developed through broad stakeholder consultations.

The plan recognises WASH as essential for prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and stigma reduction, and emphasises multi-sectoral partnerships with the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources (MSWR), the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD), and non-governmental organisations.

The Upper Denkyira East Municipality was cited as a model for successfully integrating WASH and NTD interventions into its district master plan. Strong collaboration between municipal assemblies, health directorates, and traditional leaders has led to positive behaviour change through school hygiene clubs and home visits.

As part of the event, a panel discussion was organised alongside the main programme at which the panellists highlighted that integrating WASH into healthcare delivery has produced tangible health benefits beyond NTD control.

Outcomes from the panel discussion indicate that in districts where WASH facilities have been prioritised in health centres, infection prevention practices have improved, resulting in a significant reduction in neonatal infections and mortality between 2023 and 2024.

According to the outcomes, access to clean water and functional sanitation facilities in health centres has also reduced open defecation risks around hospitals and improved maternal and child health outcomes.

WASH interventions in endemic communities were found to be key in breaking the cycle of reinfection. Without improvements in hygiene, treatment efforts risk being undermined, creating a recurring cycle of disease.

The panel also revealed that personal hygiene measures such as daily bathing and proper wound care were critical in reducing transmission.

However, challenges persist, including weak integration of WASH and NTD data systems, inadequate funding, fragmented service delivery due to vertical programming, and inconsistent inclusion of NTD priorities in Medium-Term Development Plans (MTDPs).

NDPC representatives also called for stronger coordination to ensure endemic areas are intentionally prioritised in district and national WASH programmes.

The meeting concluded with a call for accountability mechanisms across sectors and targeted WASH interventions in high-burden, underserved NTD communities to accelerate elimination efforts.