Wenchi Health Directorate targets to vaccinate 140,000 persons against NTDs

Mr James Amaniapong, the Wenchi Municipal Disease Control Officer in the Bono Region says that the municipal health directorate has begun the Mass Drug Administration (MDA) exercise to control the spread of Onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis.

He explained that the exercise, spanning between June 20 and July 3, 2026 targeted to vaccinate 141,721 persons including children above five years against onchocerciasis also known as river blindness and lymphatic filariasis, popularly known as elephantiasis in the municipality.

In an interview with the media at Wenchi, Mr Amaniapong said pregnant women, lactating mothers and people with health underlying conditions were excluded from the exercise.

He said so far, the exercise had vaccinated 9,092, representing 6.4 percent of the targeted population, explaining that the directorate had trained community drug administration and health workers who were going round the communities for the vaccination exercise.

Mr Amaniapong noted that the directorate had recorded more new cases of elephantiasis, and urged the people to avail themselves for the exercise, and to bring the situation under control.

Sompaonline.com/K.Peprah