Eva Aryee, the Sunyani West District Director of Health, has said community support is required to eradicate the filariasis disease in the country.
She said the disease is common in the area and the government has ordered the directorate to ensure that it is eradicated by the year 2020.
Filariasis is often manifested as swelling or thickening of one or both lower limbs.
Mrs Aryee said this when the Heart of Children Foundation-Ghana, a non-governmental organisation, presented medical equipment worth GH¢50,000 to the directorate at Nsoatre.
The items comprise electronic surgery beds, thermometers, syringes, wheel chairs, baby washers, BP apparatus and several devices that would be distributed among the various health centres and clinics in the district.
Mrs Aryee disclosed that the Ministry of Health has stepped up measures to eliminate filariasis, which is still common in 26 districts of the country.
She said the ministry will soon supply those districts with drugs to be distributed free-of-charge in the disease prone communities.
Mrs Aryee explained that strict adherence to the drugs is very necessary to combat the disease and rallied the support of community leaders and family heads to ensure that members of their families requiring the drug would finish the full dose.
Mr Solomon Boateng, the director of the foundation which also operates an orphanage at Nsoatre, said the NGO works to promote health and education in the district.
He said the home has 16 inmates and very soon it would establish a modern disabled care centre to offer skill training for people with disabilities in the area.
Mr Boateng, a philanthropist, expressed discomfort about high tariffs on imported goods and appealed to the government to take a second look at taxes imposed on items imported to be supplied free-of-charge.
Mr Martin Obeng, the Sunyani West District Chief Executive, expressed appreciation to the NGO, and advised the communities to support the effort.
He said the district assembly is poised to ensure equitable distribution of development projects in the communities, and called on the people to preserve the prevailing peace in the area.
GNA