DRAC Partners with Journalists to Amplify the Fight Against Neglected Tropical Diseases (Yaws, Elephantiasis, and Leprosy)
On August 7, 2025, the Development, Research, and Advocacy Centre (DRAC) held a strategic media engagement in the Upper East Region with selected journalists to strengthen advocacy for Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), focusing specifically on skin NTDs like leprosy, elephantiasis, lymphatic filariasis, and Buruli ulcer.
With generous support from the Anesvad Foundation, this initiative aligns with DRAC’s broader mission to eliminate these diseases, reduce stigma, and improve the lives of those most affected.
Awareness on NTDs.
As an organization serving some of Ghana’s most underserved communities, DRAC recognizes the urgent need to prioritize skin NTDs, which often lead to long-term disability, social exclusion, and economic hardship. We are actively engaged in 40 communities across Bongo, Talensi, Nabdam, and Binduri, combining medical interventions with public education and stigma-reduction campaigns.
In addition to health education, DRAC is investing in improved water access by installing ten boreholes across these districts, ensuring communities have safe, clean water, a critical factor in preventing many NTDs.
The Media as a Tool for Change.
We believe the media is one of our strongest allies in the fight against NTDs. Journalists have the power to raise awareness, challenge stigma, and influence policymakers. By providing them with accurate information, ethical reporting tools, and a deeper understanding of NTDs, we can ensure these critical health issues receive the attention they deserve.
As our Executive Director, Mr. Jonathan Adabre Atiah, noted:
Mohammed Fugu- Daily Graphic
Ethical NTD Reporting.
During the session, award-winning journalist and media consultant Mohammed Fugu led an intensive training on ethical and impactful NTD reporting.
Drawing from both research and field experience, he introduced journalists to the five pillars of NTD reporting: accuracy, context, solutions, dignity, and advocacy.
Fugu emphasized the importance of avoiding sensationalism, respecting the dignity of those affected, and highlighting solutions rather than only challenges. This aligns with WHO’s global guidelines for reporting health issues without reinforcing stigma.
Awareness and Action.
The training brought together journalists from leading media houses like the Daily Graphic, Apex News Gh, GBC, TV3, Dreams FM, and A1 Radio, all of whom expressed a renewed commitment to giving NTDs the coverage they urgently need.
Together with our partners, health workers, volunteers, and now a strengthened media network, we are confident that we can transform the lives of all those affected by NTDs and work towards their eventual elimination.