Public health advocacy groups have welcomed IMANI Africa Founder, Franklin Cudjoe’s commitment to champion improved diagnosis and treatment of Parkinson’s disease in Ghana following his public disclosure that he has lived with the condition for eight years.

In a joint statement, the NCD Alliance, Ghana and Vision for Accelerated Sustainable Development (VAST Ghana) said Mr. Cudjoe’s revelation has drawn critical attention to long-standing gaps in Ghana’s healthcare system, particularly in the management of non-communicable and neurological diseases.

Mr. Cudjoe, who spoke publicly about his condition on January 8, 2026, highlighted challenges including the severe shortage of neurologists, high treatment costs, frequent misdiagnosis, and limited access to long-term care. He has called for Parkinson’s disease to be included under the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (GMTF) to ease the financial burden on patients and families.

The advocacy groups said Parkinson’s disease imposes a significant economic toll on households, often resulting in loss of income for both patients and caregivers, and warned that the absence of strong social protection mechanisms is pushing affected families into poverty.

They urged government to prioritise specialist training, reduce financial barriers through the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and GMTF, and establish multi-disciplinary care teams involving neurologists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and mental health professionals.

The groups also called for stronger public education to tackle stigma and promote early diagnosis, noting that delayed detection remains a major challenge in Ghana’s NCD response.

The CSOs said Mr. Cudjoe’s advocacy aligns with Ghana’s commitments under global NCD frameworks and could help mobilise public and policy support to strengthen neurological care as part of universal health coverage.