To understand the challenges, opportunities, and recommendations for maximizing continuity of disease control during public health emergencies, we sought perspectives from Nigeria and Guinea on the process of restarting NTD control efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Resources
Restarting Neglected Tropical Diseases Programs in West Africa during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Lessons Learned and Best Practices
In line with the WHO recommendations and guidance issued in April 2020, USAID advised Act | West to temporarily suspend NTD field activities.
Severe Adverse Event Webinar
Adverse events (AEs) particularly severe adverse events (SAEs) during and following mass drug administration have a serious effect not only on the people who are affected directly, but also on the viability of the MOH’s national NTD control program.
Trachoma Surveys: Practical Approaches to Implementing WHO Guidance for Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) Programs in the Context of COVID-19
Trachoma baseline surveys, trachoma impact surveys, trachoma surveillance surveys, and trichiasis-only surveys are key disease-specific assessments of trachoma elimination programs, used to start mass drug administration (MDA), monitor progress, decide when to stop MDA, and inform attainment of elimination of trachoma as a public health problem.
Applying a quality improvement model to neglected tropical diseases program implementation: supporting programs in identifying keys for sustaining operations
West African neglected tropical diseases (NTD) programs have made great progress toward the elimination/control of NTDs amenable to preventive chemotherapy. However, some districts have failed impact surveys—notably for lymphatic filariasis and trachoma—due to implementation inadequacies, despite reporting good mass treatment coverage. A quality improvement framework has been initiated to strengthen country program interventions and address issues that hinder their ability to achieve the World Health Organization NTD road map elimination/control goals.
The workshop aims to present an innovative model for improving implementation and discuss ideas, strategies, and plans for initiating quality improvement (QI) activities. Experiences from Ghana and Sierra Leone in the design and implementation of the QI model will be shared.
Diagnostic Test Guidance
Tara Brandt of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provided guidance on using diagnostic tests—particularly filariasis test strips—for diagnosing LF on January 14, 2020.
Implication communautaire dans la mise en oeuvre d’une enquête
Le Dr Ernest Mensah de FHI 360 a fait une présentation sur l'implication communautaire dans la mise en œuvre de l'enquête lors de l'atelier de l'USAID sur l'évaluation de la transmission de la filariose lymphatique, organisé par les programmes Act to End NTDs | West et Act to End NTDs | East à Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, le 15 janvier 2020.
Community Engagement in Survey Implementation
FHI 360's Dr. Ernest Mensah delivered a presentation on community engagement in survey implementation at USAID's lymphatic filariasis transmission assessment survey workshop, hosted by the Act to End NTDs | West and Act to End NTDs | East programs in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire on January 15, 2020.
Aperçu de l'atelier
Le Dr Ernest Mensah de FHI 360 a donné un aperçu de l'atelier de l'USAID sur l'enquête d'évaluation de la transmission de la filariose lymphatique le 14 janvier 2020.
Overview of USAID LF TAS Workshop
Dr. Ernest Mensah of FHI 360 delivered an overview of the USAID lymphatic filariasis transmission assessment survey workshop on January 14, 2020.