The African Union’s Continental Framework for the Control and Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) by 2030 defines NTDs as a wide range of diseases that primarily affect regions in Africa, Asia, and the Americas, impacting over 1 billion people worldwide.
The World Health Organization (WHO) currently recognizes 20 different disease groups as NTDs. These diseases, which include a mix of parasitic, bacterial, fungal, viral, and non-communicable conditions, are endemic in 49 African countries, where they affect more than 600 million people, accounting for 42 percent of the global burden of NTDs.
According to this Continental Framework, the epidemiology of NTDs in Africa is highly varied, with many countries experiencing multiple infections simultaneously – five or more different infections at the same time. For example, nearly 90 percent of the world’s cases of Schistosomiasis and Onchocerciasis occur in Africa.
Despite being treatable and preventable, NTDs continue to spread and impact the global community due to a range of socioeconomic factors, including poor sanitation, exposure to disease vectors, unsafe water and food, climate conditions, and inadequate living environments. Furthermore, political instability and civil unrest in certain regions have worsened the situation, hindering effective efforts to control and eliminate these diseases.
In actual fact, although NTDs are preventable and treatable, they still result in over 500,000 deaths each year. Worse than this, if left untreated, they can cause irreversible long-term damage, such as blindness, disfigurement, chronic pain, and cognitive impairments. They also create significant barriers to education, employment, and economic development, leading to social stigmatization and exclusion, which further impedes overall societal progress and economic growth.
In view of this, reducing the mortality and morbidity rate associated with is NTDs, therefore, crucial to improving the health of the world’s most impoverished populations.
Ethiopia is one of the countries with a high burden of NTDs. However, launching the National Master Plan on Neglected Tropical Diseases ten years ago, is working to address this challenge and prevent the burden of NTD cases in Ethiopia.
Mainly, by identifying nine NTDs as diseases of public health significance, such as trachoma, soil-transmitted helminthes, onchocerciasis (river blindness), schistosomiasis, and dracunculiasis (Guinea-worm disease) among others, the Ministry of Health is undertaking wide-ranging activities.
Recently, a workshop, targeted to discuss strategies for eradicating Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) such as dracunculiasis, trachoma, leishmaniasis, and Guinea Worm diseases; and to strengthen cross-border collaboration by sharing best practices, and lessons learned, was held here, in Addis Ababa.
The workshop organized under the theme ‘United against NTDs in Cross-Border Approaches, also aimed at developing actionable recommendations for future initiatives.
At the workshop, health professionals drawn from Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, South Sudan, and Uganda emphasized the importance of coordinated planning and action to eliminate the diseases across bordering countries.
Senior Disease Prevention and Control Advisor to the State Minister in the Ministry of Health, Lelissa Amanuel, highlighted the need for a unified approach to ensure that NTD elimination efforts across borders are comprehensive and inclusive, leaving no one behind.
“We are honored to welcome delegates from our esteemed neighboring nations of Kenya, Sudan, South Sudan, and Uganda to this historic, first-ever integrated NTDs cross-border planning meeting,” he stated. He underscored the urgency of regional collaboration and joint efforts to eradicate NTDs in the sub-region,” the Advisor remarked.
He also underscored the urgency of neighboring countries collaborating on a joint plan and taking action to eradicate NTDs in the region.
It is time for neighboring countries to unite and take coordinated action to eradicate NTDs in Africa, particularly in our sub-region, he reiterated.
Nonhlanhla Dlamini, Deputy WHO Representative to Ethiopia, on her part commended the Ethiopian Ministry of Health for initiating and hosting this historic cross-border meeting, noting its vital role in strengthening regional collaboration to accelerate progress towards NTDs elimination.
“I commend the Ethiopian Ministry of Health for taking the initiative to convene this historic cross-border meeting, themed ‘United against NTDs in Cross-Border Approaches. This gathering of stakeholders from various countries marks a significant step towards strengthening regional collaboration and accelerating progress towards NTD elimination,” Dlamini explained.
“Ethiopia shares borders with six countries and faces unique challenges in controlling NTDs, particularly in remote areas where the movement of people and animals can facilitate disease transmission. To halt the spread of NTDs in the region, we need collective commitment, joint planning, joint implementation, and data sharing,” Dlamini added,
The meeting is a testament to a collective commitment to overcoming these challenges through collaboration and coordination, she said.
USAID Ethiopia Acting Deputy Mission Director, Jonathan Ross, also emphasized the significance of the meeting, describing it as platform not only to strengthen partnership between neighboring countries but also represents a shared commitment to protecting and improving health outcomes in the region.
NTDs do not recognize borders, Ross said, adding that “To counter this challenge, we must build dedicated partnerships, close collaboration, and coordinated interventions to maximize the impact of NTDs efforts and ensure that no one is left behind.”
Meanwhile, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) revealed that the African Union Member States have endorsed a new strategic plan, the Africa CDC’s blueprint for 2024–2027, to tackle endemic diseases across the African continent.
This was stated subsequent to the two-day cross-border workshop held from November 27–29, 2024, in Addis Ababa to deliberate on NTDs and launch a new strategy with an emphasis on integrated health systems, prioritizing preventing and controlling major health threats such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis (TB), hepatitis, and neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).
“It is indeed an honor to address you today and to participate in this important workshop with the expectation that we come out of it stronger with strategies and renewed commitments for the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS, TB, Malaria, Hepatitis and Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) on the continent,” said Director General of Africa CDC Jean Kaseya (MD).
Delegates from all 55 African Union (AU) Member States came together reviewed and endorsed the Africa CDC’s blueprint for 2024–2027. This plan represents a unified effort to address the continent’s most urgent health challenges by integrating prevention and control strategies into national health systems, the Director General added.
In Africa, infectious diseases continue to have a disproportionate impact, accounting for 94 percent of global malaria cases and 95 percent of malaria-related deaths. The continent also carries 40 percent of the global burden of NTDs, and all African countries face at least one endemic NTD. Yet, the main barriers to progress remain underfunding, weak health systems, limited research, and poor access to treatment.
“We need to brace up to change this narrative by intensifying our efforts to find lasting solutions for the control and eventual elimination of these diseases,” said Kaseya.
This effort is aligned with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the Africa CDC’s “New Public Health Order,” which focuses on boosting the continent’s self-reliance in health security.
In addition to expert contributions, political leadership will play a critical role, with AU Champions leading key initiatives:
At the end of the workshop, delegates delivered a validated strategic priorities document, alongside a costed implementation plan, setting the stage for more effective health responses across Africa. “The involvement of Member States is transformative,” said Dr Kaseya. “Together, we will create a more resilient, integrated, and inclusive health future for Africa,” Africa CDC reported.
BY STAFF REPORTER
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD SATURDAY 30 NOVEMBER 2024
