Knowledge, Perceptions, Challenges and opportunities in achieving sustainable coverage of mass drug administration towards the control and elimination of Schistosomiasis and Soil Transmitted Helminths in hard-to-reach communities of Ghana.
<h4>Introduction</h4>In Ghana, schistosomiasis (SCH) and soil-transmitted helminths (STH) infections are of major public health problems in children. In the last decades, various interventions have been instituted by the Ghana Health Service (GHS) in collaboration with non-governmental o...
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2024-11-01
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| Series: | PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases |
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| author | Akua Obeng Forson Patrick F Ayeh-Kumi Abdul Rahim Mohammed Isaac Kwame Sraku Gustavus Adolphus Myers-Hansen Yaw Asare Afrane |
| author_facet | Akua Obeng Forson Patrick F Ayeh-Kumi Abdul Rahim Mohammed Isaac Kwame Sraku Gustavus Adolphus Myers-Hansen Yaw Asare Afrane |
| author_sort | Akua Obeng Forson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <h4>Introduction</h4>In Ghana, schistosomiasis (SCH) and soil-transmitted helminths (STH) infections are of major public health problems in children. In the last decades, various interventions have been instituted by the Ghana Health Service (GHS) in collaboration with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) for the control and subsequent elimination of SCH and STH. However, these infections still remain common in both adults and children in many districts in Ghana. This study aimed to identify challenges in achieving sustainable coverage of mass drug administration for the control of STH and SCH and to explore opportunities to scale up its implementation among people living in hard-to-reach communities.<h4>Method</h4>Twelve focus group discussions (FGDs) with community members were conducted to access challenges to mass drug administration (MDA), and 20 in-depth interviews (IDIs) with key informants were conducted to access opportunities to optimize MDA to control and eliminate soil-transmitted helminth infections and schistosomiasis in hard-to-reach communities.<h4>Results</h4>Results showed participants held the correct notions of SCH and STH, and expressed willingness to participate in the MDA program. However, the lack of community drug distributors (CDDs) in the communities, inadequate and misleading information of MDA activities, and general concern about the adverse effects of MDA medications were some of the challenges identified to hinder MDA operations.<h4>Conclusion</h4>Transitioning from SCH and STH control to elimination goals requires intensive health education campaigns before MDA are conducted in hard-to-reach communities in Ghana. Furthermore, there is a need for political members and policymakers to collaborate in providing scarce and sanitary infrastructure and continuously provide disease-specific information to community members to address and dispel common misconceptions and anxieties regarding the transmission and treatment of SCH and STH. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1935-2727 1935-2735 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
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| series | PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases |
| spelling | doaj-art-ef91ad49ddb141cd9012a844e82eb5aa2025-08-20T02:38:59ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases1935-27271935-27352024-11-011811e001266410.1371/journal.pntd.0012664Knowledge, Perceptions, Challenges and opportunities in achieving sustainable coverage of mass drug administration towards the control and elimination of Schistosomiasis and Soil Transmitted Helminths in hard-to-reach communities of Ghana.Akua Obeng ForsonPatrick F Ayeh-KumiAbdul Rahim MohammedIsaac Kwame SrakuGustavus Adolphus Myers-HansenYaw Asare Afrane<h4>Introduction</h4>In Ghana, schistosomiasis (SCH) and soil-transmitted helminths (STH) infections are of major public health problems in children. In the last decades, various interventions have been instituted by the Ghana Health Service (GHS) in collaboration with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) for the control and subsequent elimination of SCH and STH. However, these infections still remain common in both adults and children in many districts in Ghana. This study aimed to identify challenges in achieving sustainable coverage of mass drug administration for the control of STH and SCH and to explore opportunities to scale up its implementation among people living in hard-to-reach communities.<h4>Method</h4>Twelve focus group discussions (FGDs) with community members were conducted to access challenges to mass drug administration (MDA), and 20 in-depth interviews (IDIs) with key informants were conducted to access opportunities to optimize MDA to control and eliminate soil-transmitted helminth infections and schistosomiasis in hard-to-reach communities.<h4>Results</h4>Results showed participants held the correct notions of SCH and STH, and expressed willingness to participate in the MDA program. However, the lack of community drug distributors (CDDs) in the communities, inadequate and misleading information of MDA activities, and general concern about the adverse effects of MDA medications were some of the challenges identified to hinder MDA operations.<h4>Conclusion</h4>Transitioning from SCH and STH control to elimination goals requires intensive health education campaigns before MDA are conducted in hard-to-reach communities in Ghana. Furthermore, there is a need for political members and policymakers to collaborate in providing scarce and sanitary infrastructure and continuously provide disease-specific information to community members to address and dispel common misconceptions and anxieties regarding the transmission and treatment of SCH and STH.https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0012664&type=printable |
| spellingShingle | Akua Obeng Forson Patrick F Ayeh-Kumi Abdul Rahim Mohammed Isaac Kwame Sraku Gustavus Adolphus Myers-Hansen Yaw Asare Afrane Knowledge, Perceptions, Challenges and opportunities in achieving sustainable coverage of mass drug administration towards the control and elimination of Schistosomiasis and Soil Transmitted Helminths in hard-to-reach communities of Ghana. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases |
| title | Knowledge, Perceptions, Challenges and opportunities in achieving sustainable coverage of mass drug administration towards the control and elimination of Schistosomiasis and Soil Transmitted Helminths in hard-to-reach communities of Ghana. |
| title_full | Knowledge, Perceptions, Challenges and opportunities in achieving sustainable coverage of mass drug administration towards the control and elimination of Schistosomiasis and Soil Transmitted Helminths in hard-to-reach communities of Ghana. |
| title_fullStr | Knowledge, Perceptions, Challenges and opportunities in achieving sustainable coverage of mass drug administration towards the control and elimination of Schistosomiasis and Soil Transmitted Helminths in hard-to-reach communities of Ghana. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Knowledge, Perceptions, Challenges and opportunities in achieving sustainable coverage of mass drug administration towards the control and elimination of Schistosomiasis and Soil Transmitted Helminths in hard-to-reach communities of Ghana. |
| title_short | Knowledge, Perceptions, Challenges and opportunities in achieving sustainable coverage of mass drug administration towards the control and elimination of Schistosomiasis and Soil Transmitted Helminths in hard-to-reach communities of Ghana. |
| title_sort | knowledge perceptions challenges and opportunities in achieving sustainable coverage of mass drug administration towards the control and elimination of schistosomiasis and soil transmitted helminths in hard to reach communities of ghana |
| url | https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0012664&type=printable |
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