Millions of people in sub-Saharan Africa are infected with a neglected tropical disease (NTD). These diseases keep children out of school, are debilitating and disfiguring and cost billions of dollars a year in lost worker productivity.

NTDs are widespread among the poorest of the poor, yet there are proven methods to prevent, treat and control the diseases. Adequate funding for treatment programs will virtually eradicate NTDs and yield benefits on many levels. Education levels will improve as children return to school. Many other people will be saved from the disabling effects of these diseases and become economically active again, improving overall productivity.

NTDs have health impacts beyond malaria or tuberculosis, but attract only a fraction of global health funding.

In January 2007, Geneva Global began a three-year, $8,796,697 Initiative to reduce the prevalence of five NTDs in Rwanda and Burundi so they are no longer significant health threats.

This investment will treat at least 7 million people, at a cost per life changed of about $1.25.

Initiative Profile »

This Initiative focuses on five of the 13 NTDs identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Global Network for Neglected Tropical Disease Control (GNNTDC). Prevalence of these five diseases is high in Rwanda and Burundi, which lack government capacity to address infections. Neither country has a national treatment or control program. Because HIV/AIDS remains a funding priority in sub-Saharan Africa, relatively little funding has gone toward NTD research, control and treatment.

Schistosomiasis Control Initiative (SCI) - a Geneva Global partner in this effort that is responsible for technical and financial management - will work closely with

selected local implementers and national ministries of health and education to design, implement and monitor integrated control and treatment programs. Programs operate in three phases:

• Establishing country-level offices, identifying national coordinators and key stakeholders and procuring equipment and supplies
• Conducting national baseline studies, identifying areas of greatest need, training staff, developing prevention education and advocacy materials and importing medications
• Treating, monitoring and evaluating beneficiaries

Rwanda and Burundi in Focus »

This is a cost-effective investment in Life Change. At least 7 million people will be treated for preventable, blinding and disfiguring parasitic and bacterial infections at a cost of $1.25 per life changed.

The treatment and prevention programs are proven to be effective, and Geneva Global will partner with SCI, a leading global expert in the prevention and control of NTDs. SCI has extensive expertise in monitoring and evaluation, and epidemiological studies conducted during this Initiative will provide critical measurements for comparison with future efforts.

Effects on individuals and communities as a result of treatment are profound. Children become healthy enough to continue schooling, and adults resume work, resulting in an overall boost to economic productivity. Others will be spared the humiliation of the debilitating and disfiguring effects of these diseases.

This investment addresses major healthcare gaps in both countries and will support development of health infrastructure that is being rebuilt after years of war. While most disease-control programs focus on a single disease, this Initiative will provide widespread annual treatment of five diseases, using safe and donated or inexpensive medications.

Schistosomiasis (bilharzia, parasitic worms): About 400,000 Rwandans were infected with bilharzia in 2001 and another 4 million were at risk, WHO says. Intervention involves prevention education and medicine for high-risk populations.

Lymphatic filiarsis (elephantiasis): This disease “puts at risk more than a billion people in more than 80 countries,” says New York, N.Y.-based Medilinks. SCI’s intervention includes drugs, insecticide-treated nets and hygiene education.

Onchocerciasis (river blindness): “A total of 18 million people are infected with the disease, of whom 99 percent are in Africa,” WHO reports. SCI will reduce new infections and treat infected people.

Soil-transmitted helminths (worms): Intestinal helminths were the third-leading cause of death in Rwanda, according to a 1999 Ministry of Health report. SCI will reduce prevalence in school-age children to less than 10 percent.

Trachoma: A top cause of preventable blindness, trachoma has left 8 million people visually impaired, according to New York, N.Y.-based International Trachoma Initiative. SCI will provide drugs.