Sunyani (B/A) Aug. 22, GNA - More than 3,000 communities are at risk of contracting onchocerciasis (Oncho) and skin diseases in the country.

Most of these areas are farming communities within fertile river basins and are often of low socio-economic status. Dr. Nana Kwadwo Biritwum, National Oncho Control Coordinator disclosed this at the opening of a three-day Oncho control workshop on Community Directed Treatment with Ivermectin (CDTI) in Sunyani on Tuesday.

It was on the theme: "Strengthening managers capacity for CDTI implementation".

Dr. Biritwum emphasised the need for poverty alleviation programmes to go hand-in-hand with control of diseases and complications. He mentioned Asubende, a small farming community with the population of less than 100 people in Pru district of Brong-Ahafo region, which has recorded 10 people with the blinding form of Onchocerciasis, adding that recent epidemiological and entomological surveys conducted in the Pru river basin demonstrated active transmission within the river with community parasite prevalence of 26 percent.

Dr. Biritwum thanked the African Programme for Oncho Control (APOC) and Special International Zone (SIZ) for committing resources to help control the disease.

He said the disease was a public health problem and stressed the need to step up urgent control activities to avoid its spread. Nana Abraham Kwadwo Kwakye, Deputy Brong-Ahafo Regional Minister explained that onchocerciasis is a filarial disease caused by the development in human skin of the worm 'onchocerca volvulus' which emits embryos into the dermal tissues adding that the microfilariae may invade the eye causing severe eye disorders, culminating in blindness. He noted that even though the disease had not been the sole cause of depopulation in the fertile valleys of the country, it was nonetheless one of the main obstacles to their development and the establishment of communities in the affected areas.

Nana Kwakye expressed regret that despite the abundant resources endowed in the region it recorded highest prevalence rate of the disease, guinea worm and HIV/AIDS among others.

Nana Kwakye noted with concern that if necessary measures were not put in place most of the economically active population of the region would be infected and affected with these 'plagues' leading to drastic loss of labour, skills and knowledge which would posed threat to national food security since the region was noted for large-scale food production.

He called on development partners, donors and other collaborators in the health sector to commit more of their resources into research, development and dissemination of scientific findings of not only Onchocerciasis but other diseases that threatened communities in the country.

Dr. Joaquim Saweka a representative of the World Health Organisation explained that strong leadership, partnership addressing social vulnerability and encouraging community involvement were key components of effective response to infectious diseases. He stressed the need to extend health provision engaging public and private sector partners in efforts to reach people with no access to health services. Alhaj Dr. Mohammed Bin Ibrahim Brong-Ahafo Regional Health Director said some communities and individuals had run away from wealth-making fertile valleys as a result of the disease. He commended Onchocerciasis Control Programme for the support to help alleviate the suffering of the communities. 22 Aug. 06