Neglected tropical diseases activities in Africa in the COVID-19 era: the need for a “hybrid” approach in COVID-endemic times

Molyneux, David ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8537-7947, Bush, Simon, Bannerman, Ron, Downs, Philip, Shu'aibu, Joy, Boko-Collins, Pelagie, Radvan, Loasia, Wohlgemuth, Leah and Boyton, Chris (2021) 'Neglected tropical diseases activities in Africa in the COVID-19 era: the need for a “hybrid” approach in COVID-endemic times'. Infectious Diseases of Poverty, Vol 10, Issue 1.

Preview

Text s40249-020-00791-3.pdf - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (2MB) | Preview

Abstract

With the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic showing no signs of abating, resuming neglected tropical disease (NTD) activities, particularly mass drug administration (MDA), is vital. Failure to resume activities will not only enhance the risk of NTD transmission, but will fail to leverage behaviour change messaging on the importance of hand and face washing and improved sanitation—a common strategy for several NTDs that also reduces the risk of COVID-19 spread. This so-called “hybrid approach” will demonstrate best practices for mitigating the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by incorporating physical distancing, use of masks, and frequent hand-washing in the delivery of medicines to endemic communities and support action against the transmission of the virus through water, sanitation and hygiene interventions promoted by NTD programmes. Unless MDA and morbidity management activities resume, achievement of NTD targets as projected in the WHO/NTD Roadmap (2021–2030) will be deferred, the aspirational goal of NTD programmes to enhance universal health coverage jeopardised and the call to ‘leave no one behind’ a hollow one. We outline what implementing this hybrid approach, which aims to strengthen health systems, and facilitate integration and cross-sector collaboration, can achieve based on work undertaken in several African countries.

Item Type:	Article
Subjects:	WA Public Health > WA 105 Epidemiology WA Public Health > Health Problems of Special Population Groups > WA 395 Health in developing countries WC Communicable Diseases > WC 20 Research (General) WC Communicable Diseases > Virus Diseases > Viral Respiratory Tract Infections. Respirovirus Infections > WC 505 Viral respiratory tract infections WC Communicable Diseases > Tropical and Parasitic Diseases > WC 680 Tropical diseases (General)
Faculty: Department:	Biological Sciences > Department of Tropical Disease Biology
Digital Object Identifer (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1186/s40249-020-00791-3
Depositing User:	Stacy Murtagh
Date Deposited:	04 Jan 2021 16:30
Last Modified:	03 Sep 2021 16:00
URI:	https://archive.lstmed.ac.uk/id/eprint/16456

Statistics

View details

Actions (login required)

Edit Item