IMANI Africa President, Franklin Cudjoe, has called for the inclusion of Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions in the Mahama Cares Programme, highlighting the urgent need for expanded access to care and support for patients across Ghana.
In a social media post, Cudjoe revealed that during a one-on-one meeting with President John Dramani Mahama earlier this year, he discussed his Parkinson’s diagnosis and emphasised the critical shortage of neurologists in the country.
“Fifteen neurologists for a population of almost 35 million is unconscionable,” Cudjoe said, noting that the paucity of trained specialists hinders proper diagnosis and treatment.
Cudjoe highlighted that many doctors in Ghana misdiagnose Parkinson’s symptoms, often attributing tremors to intoxication, which fosters stigma and forces some patients into hiding, with some even contemplating suicide.
He expressed optimism that Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh and Deputy Health Minister Grace Ayensu-Danquah will take steps to incorporate Parkinson’s care into the Mahama Cares Programme and the National Health Insurance Scheme.
