The SMAid works to improve the lives of particularly vulnerable children and their families in the region and has also trained 100 other stakeholders and 50 suspected persons infected with the skin-NTDs in various communities in the region.

According to Mr Peter Bangninnuo Kuugyire, the Monitoring, Evaluation and Quality Assurance Officer and the NTDs Project Focal Person at the SMAid International, the trainings were in line with the implementation of the Ending skin-NTDS through Improved Wash and Economic Empowerment (ENIWEE) Project.

It had empowered the beneficiaries and the health workers to accurately diagnose, manage and treat NTDs, he told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on the side-lines of a close-out meeting at Odomase in the Sunyani West Municipality of the region.

The meeting brought together stakeholders from the Ghana Health Service, NGOs, Civil Society Organisations, the Media, and District Assemblies.

Besides sharing experiences and lessons learnt from the project implementation, the meeting also offered a platform for the stakeholders to reflect on the project’s successes and challenges, and to identify areas for future collaboration and improvement.

Mr Kuugyire explained that the NGO had successfully ended the implementation of the

ENIWEE project, funded by Anesvad Foundation and aimed at addressing the pressing needs for improved healthcare services in the region.

The project, which was launched in 2023, also aimed at combating the NTDs like leprosy, Buruli Ulcer, lymphatic filariasis, and Yaws in five districts of the Bono Region.

Mr Kuugyire said the project implementation had made significant strides in combating NTDs, saying its successes demonstrated the power of collaboration and community-driven initiatives in addressing pressing health challenges.

As part of the project the NGO supported Village Savings and Loans (VSLAs) groups to empower communities and increase knowledge on NTDs, mental health, stigma, and good environmental practices. He said the groups provided a platform for community members to share experiences, access financial services, and develop economic empowerment strategies.

“We also provided wound care materials to the various districts for the treatment and care of infected persons, conducted surgeries for approximately 20 infected persons with hydrocele, and constructed two mechanized boreholes and seven latrines to improve sanitation and hygiene,” Mr Kuugyire stated.

Those interventions have significantly improved access to healthcare services and reduced the burden of NTDs in the project implementation districts.

Mr Kuugyire said the NGOs commitment to work in the region and thereby help improve health outcomes, saying it worked closely with the GHS, local communities, healthcare providers, and stakeholders towards implementing a comprehensive approach to NTD control in the region.