Public health advocacy groups have called for the immediate establishment of multidisciplinary care teams to improve the diagnosis, treatment and long-term management of Parkinson’s disease in Ghana.

In a statement, the NCD Alliance, Ghana and Vision for Accelerated Sustainable Development (VAST Ghana) said Parkinson’s care in Ghana remains overly fragmented, with limited access to neurologists and little integration of allied health and mental health services.

The groups said effective Parkinson’s management requires coordinated teams that bring together neurologists, specialised physiotherapists, occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists, supported by mental health professionals to address non-motor symptoms such as depression, anxiety and cognitive decline.

According to the CSOs, failure to address these non-motor symptoms significantly worsens quality of life for patients and increases the economic and caregiving burden on families.

The call follows the recent public disclosure by IMANI Centre for Policy and Education CEO, Franklin Cudjoe, that he has been living with Parkinson’s disease for eight years. His disclosure has renewed national attention on gaps in neurological and non-communicable disease care in Ghana.

The CSOs stressed that multidisciplinary care would support early diagnosis, rehabilitation, mental health support and functional independence, while reducing avoidable complications and hospital costs.

They urged government to integrate team-based Parkinson’s care into the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (GMTF), and to prioritise specialist training as part of broader NCD health reforms.

The groups said strengthening coordinated care for Parkinson’s would also advance Ghana’s commitments under universal health coverage and improve outcomes for thousands living with neurological conditions.