Integrated Approach to the Control, Prevention and Treatment of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs)

Congo, DR

The Centre For Neglected Tropical Diseases (CNTD) is part of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM), founded in 1898, and was established in 2000. The proposed project was part of an integrated programme which aimed to control and eliminate targeted NTDs in DR Congo, including schistosomiasis and Soil-Transmitted Helminthiasis, which are proven to exacerbate the HIV/AIDS endemicity. The project reduced the prevalence of targeted HIV/AIDS and NTDs and strengthen and maximize the sustainability of the National Programme to ensure that activities can be maintained and continued. The project implementation is successfully completed . The treatment of Lymphatic Filariasis is to treat a total of 26 million people who are at risk for LF and other NTDs which are included in the country’s elimination strategy, namely Onchocerciasis, STH and SCH. The project supported activities of the national Lymphatic Filariasis and Neglected Tropical Diseases programme of the Ministry of Health in DRC to complete the following activities: Mapping activities - CNTD has supported the training of staff and completion of mapping of Kinshasa province (6 districts or zones de sante) and 48 zones de sante of Equateur. 16 sentinel site surveys as well as trainings in 4 provinces were completed to all the district teams of the 804 districts and sub-districts included in the distribution and 85,520 community distributors as planned. 1) The four provinces were Katanga, Kasai Oriental, Kasai Occidental and Bas Congo and the target was to treat over 20 million people for one or more of the following diseases - onchocerciasis, Lymphatic Filariasis, soil transmitted helminths and Schistosomiasis. 2) Mass Drug Administration activities. CNTD has supported the Ministry of Health to conduct activities to provide medication to the above target population and complete mapping in Katanga, Nord Kivu and Bandundu. Activities have included transportation of medication, training of staff in supervision activities, development of supervision tools as well as funding for the MDA. The completion of the first integrated MDA in DRC highlighted valuable lessons learned, specifically related to the low capacity of the MOH staff in organizational management and finances for which CNTD and partners provided support and financial management expertise and the challenges of completing such a complex activity in a country without transportation and communication means.