The Ghana Health Service’s second mass treatment campaign against river blindness is scheduled to begin on Sunday, November 15, with free medication for eligible residents in 86 endemic districts.
The exercise will run until November 29. Trained health workers and community drug distributors will deliver the medication, with residents encouraged to cooperate with campaign teams and follow their instructions.
River blindness, also known as onchocerciasis, is transmitted through infected blackflies. It can cause serious skin problems, visual impairment and permanent blindness.
Announcing the campaign, GHS Director-General Dr Samuel Kaba Akoriyea said Ghana had reduced the number of districts requiring treatment from 152 to 86 since control efforts began in 1997.
For this round, the service plans to strengthen household registration and practical training for health workers and community distributors. Electronic data collection will also be piloted in selected districts to improve reporting.
The service has identified misinformation as a threat to participation and is seeking support from traditional leaders, religious organisations and the media to explain the campaign to communities.
The exercise forms part of Ghana’s drive to eliminate river blindness as a public health problem by 2030.
