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.
Effect of preventive chemotherapy with praziquantel on SCH among school age children in sub-Saharan Africa: a spatiotemporal modelling study
Christos Kokaliaris, Amadou Garba, Martin Matuska, Rachel N Bronzan, Daniel G Colley, Ameyo M Dorkenoo, Uwem F Ekpo, Fiona M Fleming, Michael D French, Achille Kabore, Jean B Mbonigaba, Nicholas Midzi, Pauline N M Mwinzi, Eliézer K N'Goran, Maria Rebollo Polo, Moussa Sacko, Louis-Albert Tchuem Tchuenté, Edridah M Tukahebwa, Pitchouna A Uvon, Guojing Yang, Lisa Wiesner, Yaobi Zhang, Jürg Utzinger, Penelope Vounatsou,
Effect of preventive chemotherapy with praziquantel on schistosomiasis among school-aged children in sub-Saharan Africa: a spatiotemporal modelling study, The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 2021, ISSN 1473-3099,
https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(21)00090-6.
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.
Practical Approaches to Implementing WHO Guidance for Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) Programs in the Context of COVID-19: Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) Surveys
This resource document complements the World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) guidance for NTD programs released on July 27, 2020.
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.
Risk factors associated with failing pre-transmission assessment surveys (pre-TAS) in lymphatic filariasis elimination programs: Results of a multi-country analysis
This paper reports for the first time factors associated with pre-transmission assessment survey (pre-TAS) results from a multi-country analysis. This information can help countries more effectively forecast program activities, such as the potential need for more rounds of mass drug administration, and prioritize resources to ensure adequate coverage of all persons in areas at highest risk of failing pre-TAS.
USAID NTD Division - Overview of Lymphatic Filariasis
USAID's Emily Toubali provided an overview of the NTD Division's work on lymphatic filariasis on January 14, 2020
Filariasis Test Strip Irregularity Reporting / Rapportage de irrégularités de FTS
The US Center for Disease Control and Prevention's Caitlin Worrell discussed filariasis test strip irregularity reporting in a bilingual presentation, titled "rapportage de irrégularités de FTS" in French, on January 14, 2020.